'UHIVERSIT7 


KIT,  AND   THE   MERMAN'S  FAMILY. 


YARNS  OE  AN  OLD  MARINER. 


MARY    COWDE-N*  OLARKE. 


'T  were  a  pity 

To  stint  the  wondrous  to  the  kuown,  and  leave 
Imagination  not  a  world  to  conquer. 

We  thus  may  welcome  fresh  true  wonders, 
Most  Sinbad-like,  nor  give  up  dear  astonishment. 

I  could  hear  such  mixture 
Of  truth  and  fiction  for  a  summer's  day. 

LEIGH  HUNT. 


ILLUSTRATED  BY  GEORGE  CRUIKSHANK. 


BOSTON: 

^TD      S  H  IE  IP 

1868. 


IRD. 


C71K5 


VOLUME     OF     ADVENTURES 

|s  ^ffcttionateig  f  ttstrilub 

TO 

JOHN     AND-    EMILY     ROLT, 

BY     THEIR     FRIEND, 

MARY    COWBEN    CLARKE. 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  I. 

PREFATORY   AND   INTRODUCTORY. 

THE  SWALLOW  FAMILY  ;  THE  YOUNGER  ONES*  LOVE  OF  FICTION  J 
— -  THE  ELDERS'  OPINIONS  OF  FANCY  AND  MATTER-OF-FACT  ;  IMAG- 
INATION AND  REALITIES. KIT  BAM. HIS  FIRST  YARN. THE 

ISLAND   OF  FALSE   APPEARANCES, 7 

CHAPTER  n. 

KIT'S  SECOND  YARN.  —  HIS  SHIP-MATE,  JOHN  PAUL.  —  THE  RAIN- 
BOW AND  THE  GOLDEN  KEY. THE  ROCKY  VALLEY. THE  OCEAN 

OF   IMAGINATION. THE   LONE   MOTHER   AND   CHILD,    ....     42 

CHAPTER  III. 

CONTINUATION  OF  KIT'S  YARN  OF  THE  LONE  MOTHER  AND  CHILD. 
HER  STORY. KALLISAH. FELIX. NEW  ASSOCIATES,  .  69 

CHAPTER  IV. 

KIT'S     THIRD     YARN. — A     PEEP     INTO     FABLE- LAND. — TITTA,    THE 

ITALIAN   CABIN-BOY. — STEVENS,  THE  MATE. THE  STORM.  —  THE 

DECISION    OF    THE   DICE.  —  THE   WRECK, .     .     97 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE  SEQUEL  OF  THE  WRECK.  —  UBERTO  AND  BIONDELLO. THE  LIT- 
TLE BAHBER. KING  IMBECILIO,  PRINCESS  EUDORA,  AND  LORD 

IGNORIO.  —  BARON   FEROCCIO,  AND  THE  LADY  ELLENA,   ...      126 


VI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

KIT   GOES   IN   SEARCH   OF  UBERTO.  —  THE   MANSION  OF  OLD  ERUD1TO. 

QUADRATA.  THE     RETURN     TO     THE     CITY. KIT     SETS    SAIL 

AGAIN. THE   GRANITE   ISLAND.  —  THE  HORSE   OF   BRASS. THE 

FEAST  OF   THE  SATYRS, 159 

CHAPTER  VII. 

THE     ABODE    OF     SUBTILIA.  —  DRUSILLA.  —  THE     ENCHANTED    FOUN- 
TAIN.  ERUDITO'S    GIFT. THE  LAKE,    AND    ISLAND   RETREAT. 

SIR  LIONEL.  —  THE  MYSTIC  RINGS, 189 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  DIAMOND   MERCHANT.  WILL  WAVELANCE'S    ISLAND. SCYLLA 

AND  CHARYBDIS.  —  THE  SIRENS. POLYPHEMUS .  —  EGYPT. THE 

MUMMY   SLAVE, .     217 

CHAPTER  IX. 

THE    PIGEONS    OF    ST.    MARK. THE    PHANTOM    GONDOLA,    AND    THE 

DOOMED  MAN. BARBARA. THE  HARZ  FOREST. THE   BROCKEN 

MOUNTAIN.  —  KARL.  —  LEOPOLD, 243 

CHAPTER  X. 

LUCERNE. LAKE   OF   THE   FOUR   CANTONS. — THE  DEVIL'S    BRIDGE. 

GENOA. THE   SINGER  AND  THE  PRISONER.  —  TITTA'S   MOTHER. 

THE  LONE  HOUSE, 278 

CHAPTER  XI. 

THE   FIRE   AT   SEA.  THE   ISLAND   OF    OMBROSA.  —  VELATA,      .     307 

CHAPTER  XII. 

THE   NORTHERN   SEAS.  —  THE  GIGANTIC  WANDERER.  —  THE  KRAKEN. 

THE   SEA-SERPENT. THE  ALBATROSS. THE   MERMAID.  THE 

GROTTO. THE   SUBTERRANEAN    JOURNEY. THE  NATION  OF  THE 

ANTHROPOPHAGI.  —  CONCLUSION, 338 


0V  IHB 

V  SITT 


THE 

STRANGE    ADVENTURES 

OP 

KIT    BAM,    MARINER, 


CHAPTER    I. 

PREFATORY    AND    INTRODUCTORY. 

THE  SWALLOW  FAMILY  ;  THE  YOUNGER  ONES5  LOVE  OF  FICTION  ; 
THE  ELDERS'  OPINIONS  OF  FANCY  AND  MATTER-OF-FACT,  IMAG- 
INATION AND  REALITIES. KIT  BAM  ;  HIS  FIRST  YARN  ;  THE 

ISLAND   OF   FALSE  APPEARANCES. 

"  MAMMA,"  said  Dick  Swallow  to  his  mother,  one 
evening1,  during1  the  holidays,  "  before  the  candles 
come,  and  Fanny  and  I  have  our  game  of  chess 
together,  I  wish  you  'd  tell  us  one  of  your  famous 
long  stories,  as  you  used  to  do." 

"  I  fear,  my  dear  boy,"  replied  his  mother,  "that 
you  and  your  sister  have  exhausted  my  stock  of  '  fa- 
mous stories  ?  (as  you  are  so  polite  as  to  call  them), 
long  ago  ;  besides,  you  are  too  old  now  to  care  for 
stories,  surely  ;  you  hope  to  go  to  college  in  a  couple 


8  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

of  years,  and  are  very  often  quite  a  man  already,  you 
know,  in  your  own  opinion. " 

"  And  yet,  mother,  I  really  think  I  shall  never  be 
too  old  to  like  a  good  long  story, "  answered  Dick. 
"  In  the  first  place,  listening,  instead  of  reading,  is 
such  pleasant,  lazy  work  —  such  complete  rest,  after 
a  day's  fag  at  Latin  and  Greek.  And,  then,  when  the 
stories  are  about  fairies,  and  spirits,  and  strange 
adventures,  such  as  yours  used  to  tell  of,  I  feel  as  if 
they  took  me  out  of  the  horse-in-a-mill  routine  of 
books  and  study,  —  which  is  all  very  right  and  useful, 
of  course,  and  must  be  attended  to,  but  which  makes 
one  long  for  amusement  and  rest,  —  I  mean  rest  for 
the  thoughts  and  the  head,  as  much  as  cricket,  and 
rowing,  and  going  to  bed,  are  rest  for  the  limbs  after 
sitting  many  hours  at  lessons." 

"  I  sometimes  feel  the  same  thing,  mamma,"  said 
his  sister  Fanny  ;  "  I  often  wish  I  had  one  of  your 
old  stories  of  an  evening  to  amuse  me  after  lessons 
and  my  duty-walk  are  over  ;  an  interesting  story  is 
such  pleasant  rest ;  and,  you  know,  I  am  not  allowed 
to  read  novels  yet  —  they  are  '  too  old '  for  me,  it  is 
said." 

"  I  know  well  your  love  of  stories,  my  dears  !  " 
said  their  mother  ;  "  and  I  agree  with  you  that  there 
are  few  things  afford  so  perfect  a  relaxation  to  the 
mind  as  fiction,  and  its  pleasant  appeals  to  the  imag- 
ination. You,  Dick,  will  soon  form  an  acquaintance 
with  the  fine  old  poets  ;  their  lovely  classical  stories, 
and  beautiful  fancies,  will  prove  a  grand  resource  for 
you  as  a  relief  from  severer  studies  ;  and  you,  my 
dear  Fanny,  may,  in  a  year  or  two,  hope  to  enjoy 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  9 

with  me  those  interesting  fictions  from  the  pen  of 
some  of  our  best  authors,  which  have  so  well  depicted 
the  stage  of  human  life,  its  various  hopes,  disappoint- 
ments, aspirations,  duties,  and  feelings  ;  and  which 
form  a  not  inapt  introduction  to  the  world  itself, 
where  you  will  some  day  be  called  upon  to  act  your 
part.  But  it  is  not  well  too  early  to  anticipate  the 
amusement,  and  even  instruction,  to  be  derived  from 
such  a  course  of  reading ;  and,  meantime,  I  will  own 
that  you  are  both  deprived  of  a  pleasant  source  of 
amusement,  if  it  is  decreed  that  you  are  '  too  old 7  for 
the  stories  of  your  childhood,  and  that  the  poets  and 
novelists  are  '  too  old J  for  you.  I  have  been  think- 
ing, therefore,  that,  as  my  own  story-telling  powers 
are  exhausted,  I  will  endeavor  to  procure  you  another 
source  of  entertainment  of  the  like  kind,  which  may 
supply  the  want  you  feel ;  and  that  your  favorite 
twilight  hour  may  still  be  spent  in  the  way  you  both 
love  so  well,  in  listening  to  a  long  story/7 

"  Capital,  mamma  !  "  exclaimed  both  the  young 
Swallows,  joyfully,  as  they  jumped  up  to  give  her 
a  hearty  kiss  ;  for,  though  Dick  had  nearly  attained 
the  manly  age  of  fourteen,  and  his  sister  Fanny  was 
but  a  year  younger,  yet  they  both  frequently  ex- 
pressed their  joy  in  a  burst  of  childish  rapture,  and 
were  generally  as  gay  as  larks.  The  nature  of  their 
education  had  made  our  two  young  friends  simple  in 
their  manners,  though  sensible  in  their  heads  ;  their 
hearts  were  young,  though  their  minds  were  strong, 
active,  and  well-stored.  They  had  been  brought  up 
under  the  superintendence  of  their  mother,  a  woman 
of  keen  sensibilities,  yet  firm  judgment.  She  had 


10  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

indulged  their  fancy,  while  she  had  secured  solid 
instruction  ;  and  the  result  was,  that,  though  Dick 
could  construe  Virgil,  or  work  many  of  the  problems 
in  Euclid,  and  Fanny  was  a  good  modern  linguist, 
and  an  accomplished  needlewoman  and  housekeeper, 
yet  they  both  of  them  still  loved  a  long  twilight  tale, 
and  listened  to  it  with  all  their  old-young  delight. 
They  were  childlike,  though  not  childish,  in  taste 
and  feeling ;  and  their  manners  were  unconven- 
tional, and  unlike  'the  little  old  men  and  women  we 
now-a-days  often  meet  with  in  young  people  of  their 
age. 

"Your  father  tells  me  he  has  invited  his  old  ship- 
mate, Kit  Bam  (of  whom  you  have  often  heard  him 
speak),  to  come  and  spend  the  remainder  of  his  days 
close  by  us/7  resumed  their  mother  ;  "  the  little  cot- 
tage in  the  lane,  just  by  the  clump  of  beech-trees,  at 
the  back  of  our  grounds,  has  been  prepared  for  him, 
and  we  expect  that  he  will  arrive  from  town  to-day, 
and  take  possession  of  his  new  abode.  Indeed,  I 
should  not  wonder  if  it  is  the  reception  of  his  old 
friend  which  detains  papa  at  this  very  moment,  for 
it  is  much  after  his  usual  hour  of  return  from  his 
walk.  I  dare  say  he  is  now  at  the  cottage  welcom- 
ing his  favorite  Kit,  and  settling  him  in  his  new 
home.  We  will  ask  papa  to  go  with  us  to-morrow 
morning  to  see  his  old  friend,  that  we  may  make  his 
acquaintance/' 

"  That  will  be  pleasant !  "  said  Dick. 

"  If  he  is  pleasant,"  added  Fanny,  in  a  lower  tone. 
"Do  you  know  Mr.  Kit  Bam,  mamma?"  inquired 
she.  "Is  he  pleasant  ?  Is  he  good-natured  ?  " 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  11 

"  Very  good-natured/7  replied  her  mother;  "  and 
very  pleasant  —  especially  pleasant  he  will  seem  to 
you  both  ;  for  he  has  seen  a  vast  deal,  and  passed 
through  a  great  many  adventures  in  his  time,  so  that 
he  has  plenty  of  long  stories  to  tell  —  if  you  can  coax 
him  to  relate  them ;  and  I  know  you  have  rather  a 
knack  in  persuading  those  from  whom  you  have 
hopes  of  a  story,  Fanny. " 

Next  morning,  forth  the  party  sallied  ;  the  day  was 
bright,  the  birds  wer&  singing  cheerfully ;  the  young 
people  were  in  high  spirits  at  the  idea  of  the  new 
acquaintance  they  were  about  to  make  ;  and  their 
parents  were  happy  in  the  thought  that  they  had 
secured  a  comfortable  asylum  near  them,  and  the 
enjoyment  of  complete  repose  in  his  old  age,  to  one 
whose  youth  and  maturer  years  had  been  faithfully 
employed  in  a  course  of  active  exertion,  uncomplain- 
ing hardship,  many  perils,  and  ceaseless  wandering. 
Across  the  lawn,  skirting  the  fish-pond,  between  the 
flower-beds,  by  the  arbor,  down  the  gravel-walk, 
along  the  avenue,  out  at  the  little  wicket-gate,  into 
the  lane,  all  flowery  with  hedge-row  climbers  and 
plants  —  the  honeysuckle,  the  dogrose,  the  hawthorn, 
the  briony,—  and  all  bowery  with  hedge-row  trees, — 
the  maple,  the  oak,  the  elm,  and  the  ash,  — on  passed 
the  four  walkers,  till  they  came  to  a  cottage  in  a 
small  garden,  that  was  screened  off  from  the  lane  by 
a  quickset  hedge.  Through  a  slight  opening  in  this 
hedge  Captain  Swallow  looked,  and  beckoned  to  his 
wife  that  she  should  silently  follow  his  example. 

"  Does  not  the  dear  old  fellow  look  a  perfect  pic- 
ture of  contented  comfort  ?  "  asked  he,  in  a  whisper, 


12  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

Dick  and  Fanny  peeped  too.  Sitting  on  a  bench 
in  the  sun,  they  saw  an  old  man  with  gray  hair,  a 
very  brown  face,  and  still  browner  hands,  which  were 
folded  carelessly  together  round  a  thick,  knotty  stick, 
that  lay  between  his  knees.  He  wore  coarse  dark 
blue  clothes,  that  looked  too  big  for  him  ;  indeed,  so 
big  and  so  loose,  that  they  appeared  as  if  they  would 
have  held  an  additional  set  of  legs  and  arms  without 
any  inconvenience  to  the  limbs  already  there.  On 
his  head  was  a  shiny  glazed  %hat ;  so  shiny  that  it 
made  our  young  friends  wink  as  they  looked  at  it 
sparkling  and  glistening  in  the  bright  sun  ;  but,  as  it 
was  worn  perched  very  forward,  it  shaded  the  old 
man's  own  eyes,  without  his  suffering  any  apparent 
annoyance  from  the  ends  of  black  ribbon  which  dan- 
gled from  its  brim,  and  occasionally  fluttered  into  the 
corner  of  one  of  them,  as  he  gazed  thoughtfully  at  a 
hive  of  bees  that  stood  near  him. 

"  It  ;s  a  home-loving  though  a  wandering  life/7 
they  heard  him  murmur  ;  "  they  range  freely  abroad 
in  the  pure  air  and  sunshine,  and  collect  stores  of 
sweet  and  pleasant  things  to  enjoy  quietly  in  their 
wintry  days.  They  ?re  strangely  like  men,  those 
bees; — the  flowery  fields  and  the  wide  ocean,  the 
warm  hive  and  the  snug  cottage,  a  wandering 
youth  and  a  tranquil  old  age,  are  each  their  portion  ; 
and,  then,  the  honey-juice  of  blossoms,  and  the  pleas- 
ant hoard  of  sweet  fancies  and  recollections,  that  the 
bee  and  the  man  both  gather  in  their  early  rambles, 
are  equally  the  gift  of  a  bounteous  Creator.  And  how 
well  the  little  things  manage  it  all !  They  're  as 
orderly  and  as  handy  at  their  work,  and  get  as  little 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  13 

in  each  other's  gangway,  as  a  ship's  crew  mustering 
'all  hands'  at  the  call  of  the  boatswain's  whistle. 
Ay,  ay,  sir ;  this  way,  captain ;  "  added  the  old 
mariner,  a  moment  after,  as  he  started  up  from  his 
seat  on  hearing  his  friend's  voice  saluting  him  with 
a  hearty  cheer,  while  the  party  approached  arid 
entered  the  little  garden  gate.  "This  way,  madam  ; 
this  way,  my  young  lady,"  continued  he,  as  he 
bustled  about  to  do  the  honors  of  his  new  house  to 
his  visitors. 

He  showed  them  the  straight  rows  of  cabbages 
and  potatoes,  and  carrots,  and  onions,  in  the  orderly 
little  garden,  and.  gathered  a  posy  of  sweet-williams 
and  bachelors'-buttons  for  Fanny  and  her  mamma. 
He  showed  them  the  draw-well,  with  its  bucket  quite 
handy,  and  told  them  that  the  water  was  as  fresh 
and  bright  as  crystal ;  as  a  proof  of  which  he  took 
some  up  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  and  let  it  fall  in 
sparkling  drops  from  his  palm,  which  he  once  raised 
to  his  lips,  as  if  willing  to  confirm  his  words  by 
drinking  some  .-  though,  on  second  thoughts,  he  let 
that  handful  fall,  too,  sprinkling  it  over  the  flowers, 
remarking,  with  a  sly  smile  at  the  captain,  "that 
they  liked  it,  poor  things  ;  it  did  them  good  !  And 
yet  I  can  remember  times  when  I  would  have  given 
more  for  that  handful  of  fresh  water,  than  for  all  the 
wine  that  ever  was  crushed,  either  from  grapes  or  in 
a  jovial  cup,"  added  he,  with  a  thoughtful  look  that 
often  came  over  his  weather-beaten  countenance, 
giving  a  strange  contradiction,  to  his  usual  careless, 
sailor-like  manner  and  appearance.  He  showed  them 
the  bees  next,  saying,  "they  were  tight  lads  foi 


14  THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

work."  He  took  them  into  the  snug  cottage,  with 
its  cosey  sitting-room  and  comfortable  bed-room,  and 
said  it  was  as  warm  a  berth  as  heart  could  desire  ; 
and  that  it  was  just  like  his  shipmate7 s  kind  way,  to 
think  of  getting  it  rigged  for  him  to  turn  into  in  his 
old  age. 

While  Kit  was  grasping  their  father  warmly  by  the 
hand,  and  saying  this  in  a  hearty  tone  to  their 
mother,  Dick  whispered  to  Fanny,  "  I  wonder  whether 
he  7d  tell  us  one  of  his  stories  now.  I  should  like  to 
hear  some  of  his  adventures.77 

"  I  think  he  must  be  too  tired  to-day  to  talk  much, 
after  his  journey  yesterday,77  said  Fanny  ;  "  besides, 
he  7s  busy  and  taken  up  with  papa  and  mamma  now, 
and  I  don7t  like  to  interrupt  him.77 

Soon  after  their  parents  took  leave  ;  and,  as  they 
walked  home,  their  mother  told  Fanny  she  had  over- 
heard how  considerate  she  had  been  towards  their 
old  friend  ;  but  that  she  and  her  brother  should  come 
and  spend  an  hour  or  two  every  afternoon  with  him, 
if  they  pleased.  Accordingly,  that  very  afternoon, 
the  moment  the  cloth  was  removed,  the  young  Swal- 
lows were  darting  off,  when  their  father  cried  out, 
"Hallo  !  youngsters,  whither  so  fast?  I  never  saw 
you  in  such  a  hurry  to  run  away  from  a  dish  of  cur- 
rants and  cherries  before  ! 77 

Dick  and  Fanny  both  began  in  a  breath  to  reply  : 
but  their  mother  said,  smiling,  "Nevermind;  take 
your  dessert  on  some  leaves,  and  away  with  you,  and 
1 711  explain  to  your  father.77 

"They  aje  off  to  renew  their  acquaintance  with 
old  Kit,  I  suppose,77  said  Captain  Swallow,  when  his 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  15 

children  had  vanished  ;  ' '  they  appeared  to  be  pro- 
digiously taken  with  him  this  morning  —  as,  indeed, 
he  seemed  to  be  with  them.  Well,  they  '11  amuse 
him,  and  help  to  make  the  dear  old  fellow's  time  pass 
pleasantly.'7 

"  They  rather  hope  he  will  amuse  them,  I  be- 
lieve/7 said  their  mother  ;  "  they  have  a  passion  for 
long  stories,  and  I  should  think  he  has  plenty  to  tell 
them/7 

"Yes,  he  has,  indeed;  Kit  will  spin  you  a  yarn 
as  long  as  a  ship's  cable,  only  once  set  him  a  talk- 
ing,77 replied  the  captain.  "  But  do  you  think  all 
these  strange  adventures  and  wonderful  histories  of 
his  are  quite  the  sort  of  thing  for  the  children  to  lis- 
ten to,  my  dear  ?  Kit  has  a  knack  of  relating  mar- 
vels that  I  very  much  suspect  never  had  any  exist- 
ence but  in  his  own  brain  ;  for,  though  he  7s  as  true 
and  honest  a  chap  as  ever  lived,  he  has  a  spice  of 
romance  in  him,  that,  1 7ve  a  notion,  has  led  him  to 
see  all  his  adventures  with  a  fanciful  eye.  You 
know  all  we  sailors  have  the  reputation  of  being 
a  superstitious  set ;  our  life  naturally  engenders 
strange  beliefs  and  extraordinary  imaginings.  While 
surrounded,  for  the  most  part,  by  grand  natural  ob- 
jects, —  sky  and  ocean,  the  sun,  the  moon,  the  stars, 
—  yet  we  are,  nevertheless,  shut  within  a  narrow 
limit,  and  confined  in  our  daily  intercourse,  for  days 
and  weeks  together.  This  circumscribed  life  has,  in 
Kit's  instance,  been  even  enhanced  by  many  solitary 
wanderings.  Frequently  thrown  apart  from  his  own 
species,  an  indulgence  in  silent  musing,  and  a  habit 
of  following  his  own  whimsical  thoughts,  joined  to 


16  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

a  great  taste  for  imaginative  reading,  and  an  origi 
nally  contemplative  disposition,  have  combined  to 
make  him  unusually  credulous,  even  for  one  of  us 
sailors.  Don't  you  think,  therefore,  his  yarns  will 
be  apt  to  set  their  wits  a  wandering  and  a  wool-gatli-: 
ering,  when  maybe  it  would  be  better  that  they 
should  be  hove-to,  steady,  and  brought  alongside  more 
useful  things,  safe  in  the  harbor  of  knowledge  ?  " 

"  Even  during  Dick's  holidays  they  both  work 
hard  at  their  lessons  in  the  morning/'  replied  his 
wife;  "and  while  they  work  1  try  to  keep  their 
young  heads  steady  and  attentive,  and  really  intent 
upon  storing  up  as  much  useful  information  as  possi- 
ble, that  they  may  secure  the  all-important  advantage 
of  a  solid  education.  But,  the  more  careful  I  am 
that  they  shall  not  think  of  anything  else  while  they 
are  at  study,  the  more  anxious  I  am  that  they  should 
have  plenty  of  amusement  at  other  times  —  and  no 
amusement  do  they  like  so  well  as  what  they  call  '  a 
long  story.'  While  they  work,  let  them  work  with 
their  whole  souls ;  and  when  they  play,  let  it  be  as 
heartily.  The  very  nature  of  the  narratives  they  will 
hear  from  your  old  friend,  too,  will  form  a  judicious 
contrast  to  the  matter-of-fact,  practical  sort  of  acquire- 
ments I  have  endeavored  to  lead  them  to  cultivate,  as 
being  better  fitted  to  their  station  in  life  than  mere 
flimsy  accomplishments  ;  and,  as  I  think  the  tendency 
of  the  present  age  (in  which  they  will  be  called  upon 
to  act  their  part)  is  perhaps  rather  too  strictly  utilita- 
rian in  its  nature,  so  this  will  be  best  counteracted 
by  the  appeals  to  the  imagination  and  fancy  that  will 
be  made  by  Kit's  stories,  which  may  form  a  kind  of 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  11 

introduction  to  the  classical  fictions  they  will  read 
by  and  by.  We  are  too  apt,  I  think,  now-a-days,  to 
heap  upon  bewildered  childhood  an  accumulation  of 
dry  facts,  scientific  scraps,  and  hard  information, 
which,  ill-arranged,  ill-digested,  and  unrelieved  by 
lighter  matter,  only  serve  to  render  young  people 
the  prating,  superficial,  addle-brained  little  pragma- 
tists  which  they  too  frequently  are.  Let  them  have 
sterling  knowledge,  by  all  means,  but  let  them  have 
holiday  of  the  mind,  too.77 

"  I  think  you  are  right  in  the  main,  my  love/7  said 
the  captain,  smiling  at  his  wife's  warmth;  "for, 
though  1 7ve  often  regretted  that  my  early  love  of 
the  sea  and  a  sailor7s  profession  led  me  to  neglect  the 
opportunity  of  learning  while  young,  and  so  have1, 
been  compelled  to  blunder  through  life,  more  of  a 
dunce  than  you,  in  your  wifely  partiality,  would, 
perhaps,  be  willing  to  allow  ;  yet  I  have  known  some 
of  the  happiest  moments  of  my  existence  from  an 
ardent  enjoyment  of  nature,  and  a  passionate  love  of 
the  beautiful.77 

"  And  if  we  too  strictly  exclude  the  cultivation  of 
the  imagination  and  fancy  in  young  people,77  replied 
his  wife,  "  I  am  sure  we  deprive  them  of  these  very 
sources  of  happiness  you  speak  of.  '  My  mind  to 
me  a  kingdom  is  ! 7  and  surely  the  region  of  idea  is 
its  most  precious  dominion.  The  poetry  and  ro- 
mance of  thought  are  the  best  solace  for  daily  toil, 
and  the  surest  refuge  from  the  inevitable  common- 
places of  every-day  existence.  I  feel  sure  we  shall 
do  well  in  permitting  our  children  to  take  an  interest 
in  all  the  wild  tales  and  travellers  wonders  of  old 
2 


18  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

Kit,  while  we  are  careful,  at  the  same  time,  to  instil 
sound  principles,  an  earnest  love  of  truth,  and  a  ven- 
eration for  the  light  of  wisdom.77 

"Very  true/7  said  the  captain.  "Besides,  Kit, 
though  a  sailor  and  a  wanderer,  is  anything  but  a 
common  man.  His  natural  love  of  romance  and  ad- 
venture gave  a  tone  of  sentiment  and  imagination 
to  his  thoughts,  and  led  him  to  observe  and  reflect 
upon  what  he  saw.  He  was  always  noted  among  us 
for  a  lad  extremely  fond  of  reading,  whenever  he 
could  find  time  and  get  hold  of  a  book  ;  and  this, 
joined  to  his  naturally  ardent  fancy,  his  good  simple 
heart,  and  his  strict  sense  of  honor  and  moral  worth, 
gave  him  a  cultivated  and  refined  tone  of  mind,  very 
different  from  what  his  station  in  life  might  lead  one 
to  expect.  Therefore,  on  the  whole,  I  do  not  know 
but  what  his  society  is  the  very  thing  we  could 
desire  for  our  children  ;  for,  at  the  same  time  that  he 
amuses  their  fancy,  and  excites  their  love  of  the 
marvellous,  he  will  lead  them  to  reflect,  and  draw  a 
moral  from  most  of  his  narratives,  wild  and  even 
mystical  as  they  may  be.77 

Meantime,  the  young  Swallows  reached  the  cot- 
tage of  their  new-old  friend.  They  found  him  com- 
fortably seated  in  a  wooden  arm-chair  near  the  hearth 
(though,  the  season  being  early,  there  was  no  fire  in 
the  grate),  with  his  legs  stretched  out  at  full  length 
and  crossed  easily  over  one  another,  his  arms  folded, 
and  his  eyes  glancing  occasionally  towards  the  model 
of  a  ship  that  stood  on  a  table  in  the  corner  of  the 
room,  though  they  were  more  frequently  employed 
in  gazing  through  the  little  cottage  casement  at  the 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  19 

soft  glories  of  the  setting  sun,  in  which  he  seemed 
to  read  and  revolve  innumerable  memories  of  the 
past.  Between  his  lips  rested  a  short  pipe,  from 
which  he  drew  lazy  puffs  at  long  intervals,  as  if 
rather  from  habit  than  actual  enjoyment ;  though  now 
and  then  it  became  firmly  clenched  between  his 
teeth,  as  he  murmured  a  lengthened  "  Ah  !  — 'm  !  " 
and  shook  his  head  slowly,  and  closed  his  eyes 
dreamily ;  —  though,  when  they  were  open,  they 
were  keen,  gray,  piercing  eyes,  and  looked  at  the 
sunlight  with  as  steady  and  unwinking  a  gaze  as  an 
eagle's.  But  they  wore  a  kind  and  even  tender 
expression  as  they  suddenly  fell  upon  the  figures  of 
our  two  young  friends  as  they  appeared  at  the  open 
door,  which  was  thrown  back  to  admit  the  sweet 
breath  of  the  evening  air,  rich  with  the  odor  of  the 
flowers  in  the  cottage  garden. 

"  I  hope  we  don't  disturb  you/7  said  Fanny,  as  she 
stole  softly  to  the  old  man's  side;  "but  we  know 
you  have  some  wonderful  stories  to  tell,  and  we  want 
you  to  tell  them  to  us,  if  you  please  ;  and  you  have 
a  good  thinking  face  on  now,  and  we  hope  you  '11 
begin  directly,  if  you  could  be  so  good  as  to  remem- 
ber one, — could  you?  Would  you,  do  you  think, 
Mr.  Bam  ?  "  She  said  this  with  a  childlike  mixture 
of  eagerness  and  timidity,  while  she  put  her  arms 
round  his  large  blue  sleeve,  and  hugged  it  close  and 
winningly.  The  old  mariner's  face  looked  so  pleas- 
antly towards  her,  as  she  urged  her  entreaty,  that 
she  could  not  help  letting  her  hand  glide  round  his 
huge  blue  collar,  and  rest  for  an  instant  on  the  bald 
spot  at  the  top  of  his  head,  and  then  drawing  it  ca- 


20  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

ressingly  down  his  silver  hairs,  and  smoothing  his 
withered  cheek,  marked  with  a  thousand  minute  red 
lines,  while  her  own  round  rosy  one  crept  nearer  to 
it,  she  whispered  a  repeated,  "  Could  you  be  so  very 
kind,  do  you  think,  Mr.  Bam  ?  " 

"To  be  sure  I  will,  my  lass  —  my  dear  young 
lady !  Disturb  me  ?  —  that  you  don't,  my  dears  !  Ee- 
member  ?  —  of  course  I  can  ;  want  of  memory  's  not 
rny  failing.  But  I  say,  my  dear  lass,"  continued  the 
old  mariner,  affectionately,  "  when  you  look  in  my 
eyes  in  that  way,  with  a  smile  so  like  your  father's 
(God  bless  him !),  just  call  me  Kit,  plain  Kit,  as  he 
always  does  ;  and  not  Mr.  Bam,  which  sounds  formal, 
and  is  moreover  a  name  I  somehow  never  particu- 
larly liked.  —  What  ?s  your  name,  my  man  ?"  added 
he,  turning  to  her  brother. 

"  Eichard  —  Dick/7  answered  he. 

"  Ay,  Dick !  that  7s  right !  your  brave  father's 
name.  Come  and  sit  here  in  the  corner,  Dick,  my 
fine  fellow  ;  and  you,  my  lass, —  what  7s  your  name  ? 
0,  Fanny ;  come  and  perch  close  to  me  on  the  other 
side." 

"But  the  story,  Mr.  —  I  mean,  my  darling  old 
Kit ;  won't  you  begin  and  tell  us  your  story  ?  " 

He  smiled  at  her  eagerness.  "I  should  begin,  I 
believe,  by  telling  you,  that  though  I  was  born  in  a 
quiet  little  inland  village,  never  boy  had  greater 
hankering  after  a  wandering  life,  or  a  more  ardent 
desire  to  go  to  sea.  My  longing  to  behold  other 
scenes,  and  take  part  in  those  active  exertions  that 
engaged  my  fellow-creatures  in  the  world  beyond, 
filled  me  with  intolerable  craving,  and  rendered  the 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  21 

monotony  of  our  simple  village  existence  insupport- 
ably  wearisome  to  me.  Often  did  my  father  check 
me  for  the  repining  spirit  which  this  restless  desire 
for  change  engendered  in  me,  and  would  exclaim,  in 
the  pity  of  a  wiser  experience  :  '  Poor  lad  !  thou  little 
know'st  what  thou  wishest  for  ! J  My  mother  had  a 
brother  living  at  a  small  seaport  town  about  forty 
miles'  distance,  on  the  nearest  coast  to  the  part  of 
the  country  where  our  village  was  situated  ;  and  to 
this  uncle's  house  I  was  once  sent  by  my  father,  not 
without  a  hope,  I  believe,  that  the  rough  usage 
which  he  knew  I  should  meet  with  there  would  have 
the  desired  effect  of  sickening  me  of  a  town  life,  and 
the  wear  and  tear  of  the  world,  and  so  lead  me  to 
love  and  return  to  my  own  quiet  home.  For  this 
uncle  was  a  hard,  money-loving  man ;  and  his  wife 
was  a  hard,  money-loving  woman,  and,  moreover,  a 
shrew,  with  a  loud,  shrill  voice,  fierce  eyes,  thin  lips, 
and  bony  arms,  who  thought  the  chief  virtue  of  the 
mistress  of  a  house  was  to  scold  her  servants  for 
faults  they  might  possibly  commit  some  time  or 
other,  and  to  give  them  continual  orders  about  work 
they  were  at  the  moment  doing. 

"  My  uncle  had  persuaded  rny  father  to  send  me  to 
him,  that  he  might  '  push  my  fortune,  and  give  me  a 
lift  in  the  world,  instead  of  letting  me  rot  in  an  out- 
of-the-way  village  all  my  life/  as  he  expressed  it ;  so 
he  proceeded  to 'show  his  ideas  of  promotion  and 
worldly  advancement,  by  installing  me,  immediately 
on  my  arrival,  in  the  honorable  post  of  errand-boy, 
in  which  office  were  included  the  slight  duties  of 
cleaning  knives,  brushing  boots  and  shoes,  washing 


22  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

dishes,  chopping  wood,  drawing  water,  lighting 
tires,  scrubbing  floors,  cleaning  windows,  taking 
down  and  putting  up  the  shop  shutters,  opening  the 
door  (which,  as  my  thrifty  aunt-mistress  let  lodgings, 
was  a  charge  that  kept  me  trotting  up  and  down  the 
kitchen  stairs  like  a  canary-bird  incessantly  hopping 
from  perch  to  perch),  carrying  trays  that  were  too 
heavy  for  the  bit  of  a  girl  who  passed  for  the  maid- 
of-all-work  to  the  establishment,  running  with  letters, 
parcels,  and  messages,  for  the  lodgers,  besides  occa- 
sionally helping  my  uncle  in  his  business,  which  was 
that  of  a  shoemaker. 

"  Of  all  these  various  duties  there  were  none  I 
performed  so  willingly  as  those  which  in  any  way 
helped  to  save  my  poor  little  fellow-servant,  '  the  bit 
of  a  girl '  I  spoke  of.  She  was  a  thin,  hollow-eyed, 
pale-faced  creature,  bleached  and  smoke-dried  with 
perpetual  dwelling  in  a  town  air ;  and  yet  I  thought 
her  pretty,  from  a  meek,  patient  look  she  had.  She 
would  fix  her  soft  blue  eyes  with  a  sort  of  helpless 
fascination  on  the  flashing  fierce  ones  of  her  mistress, 
while  she  was  giving  her  '  a  good  set-down/  as  she 
called  it ;  and  with  her  quivering  lips,  and  submiss- 
ively imploring  eyes,  poor  Molly  would  stand  there 
to  be  rated  as  '  a  good-for-nothing,  idle  slut/  and  '  a 
bold-faced,  staring  minx/  till  my  blood  boiled  with  a 
sense  of  wrong  that  all  my  own  hardships  failed  to 
excite  in  the  like  degree. 

"And  yet  these  hardships  of  my  own  were  bad 
enough.  Coarse  and  grudgingly-given  food  ;  inces- 
sant labor ;  want  of  the  pure  country  air,  to  which  I 
had  been  accustomed  from  infancy ;  brutal,  unkind 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  23 

usage  ;  violent,  abusive  language  ;  little  or  no  rest  — 
for  I  was  up  early  and  down  late  ;  all  these  were 
but  harsh  substitutes  for  the  peaceful  existence  I  had 
hitherto  led  in  my  native  village  ;  where,  if  I  worked 
hard,  it  was  in  the  fresh  free  air,  and  with  those  who* 
loved  arid  fostered  me.  Still,  these,  my  first  rude 
experiences  of  life  from  home,  did  not  lead  rne  to 
wish  for  a  return  to  that  home.  I  longed,  it  is  true, 
to  escape  from  this  bondage,  this  miserable  drudgery 
(so  doubly  irksome  to  one  of  my  peculiar  dispo- 
sition),—  but  itAvas  that  I  might  wander  forth  to 
those  scenes  which  my  fancy  still  portrayed  to  me 
as  full  of  joy,  animation,  and  beauty.  My  only  con- 
solations, during  those  ten  dreary  months  that  I  spent 
at  my  uncle's,  were  the  few  stolen  opportunities  I 
found  of  devouring  a  book,  now  and  then,  or  of 
creeping  down  to  the  sea-shore  and  indulging  my 
visions  about  those  far-distant  lands,  that  lay 
stretched  away  beyond  the  ocean,  and  which  my 
imagination  painted  in  the  most  vivid  and  alluring 
colors.  Innumerable  castles  in  the  air  did  rny  boyish 
fancy  build,  of  taking  my  poor,  little,  gentle  Molly 
away  from  her  thraldom,  and  of  setting  sail  together 
for  some  delightful  island,  where  we  might  live 
happy  and  free  the  livelong  day,  with  no  one  to 
thwart  or  control  us.  In  those  charming  day-dreams 
I  pictured  her  to  myself  the  queen  of  our  beautiful 
solitude,  wandering  hand  in  hand  with  me  through 
shady  groves,  and  flowering  thickets,  and  majestic 
woods,  where  the  birds  should  be  our  sole  com- 
panions ;  and  there,  I  thought,  her  blue  eyes  would 
lose  those  dark  rings  that  encircled  them  :  there  her 


24  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

cheeks  would  become  dimpled  and  rosy,  and  her  lips 
would  smile  instead  of  tremble.  Poor,  meek,  gentle 
Molly !  " 

Here  Kit  sighed  and  paused  for  a  moment,  then 
*he  resumed :  "One  morning  poor  Molly  told  me, 
with  tears  in  her  eyes,  that  her  mistress  had  bid  her 
clean  the  windows,  arid  that  she  was  afraid.  '  But  I 
will  do  them/  said  I ;  '  that 's  always  my  job/  But 
she  reminded  me  that  I  was  going  on  an  errand  to  a 
place  at  some  little  distance  from  the  town  that  day 
for  my  uncle  ;  arid,  therefore,  her  mistress  insisted 
that,  as  I  could  not  do  them,  Molly  should,  as  nothing 
would  induce  her  to  put  off  the  regular  day  for  clean- 
ing the  windows.  I  comforted  her  as  well  as  I 
could,  assuring  her  that  I  would  make  the  utmost 
haste,  so  that  I  might  be  back  in  time  to  prevent 
her  doing  what  she  so  much  dreaded.  But  every- 
thing, that  unhappy  day,  was  fated  to  turn  out  in 
misery.  I  was  detained  late  by  my  uncle  before  I 
set  out ;  I  was  detained  at  the  house  to  which  I  was 
sent ;  I  was  detained  on  my  road  back  by  an  acci- 
dent which  nearly  ended  in  a  child  being  run  over. 
I  had  scarcely  helped  to  rescue  the  infant  from  its 
dangerous  vicinity  to  the  wheels  of  the  cart,  and 
seen  it  safely  placed  in  its  mother's  arms,  when  I 
resumed  the  quick  pace  which  I  hoped  would  still 
enable  me  to  return  in  time.  I  reached  the  entrance 
to  the  town ;  I  turned  into  the  street  where  my 
uncle  lived  ;  but  I  had  scarcely  done  so,  when  I  per- 
ceived a  large  crowd  assembled  before  his  house, 
who  surrounded  something  that  lay  upon  the  pave- 
ment. I  will  not  pain  your  tender  hearts,  my  dears, 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  25 

by  dwelling  upon  the  horror  of  that  moment ;  suffice 
it  to  say,  that,  on  making  my  way  through  the  crowd, 
I  found  my  poor  Molly  stretched  upon  the  ground, 
bleeding  and  lifeless !  Her  cruel  mistress  had  in- 
sisted upon  her  getting  outside  the  upper  window  to 
clean  it ;  the  poor  girl  had  missed  her  footing  ;  she 
fell,  and  was  killed  upon  the  spot.  As  I  approached 
they  were  lifting  her  from  the  earth  tenderly,  and 
conveying  her  into  the  house.  Her  cap  had  fallen 
off,  and  her  comb  dropped  from  her  long  hair  upon 
the  pavement.  I  picked  it  up  mechanically,  and 
followed  those  who  were  bearing  the  body,  like  one 
in  a  fearful  dream.  I  scarcely  heard  my  uncle's 
voice,  though  he  was  storming  loudly  as  I  entered 
the  shop.  I  found,  a  few  minutes  afterwards,  that 
he  was  raving  at  me  for  my  having  loitered  so  long 
on  my  errand ;  but  I  stared  at  him,  with  dry  eyes 
and  a  parched  mouth,  for  some  time,  without  making 
out  the  sense  of  what  he  was  talking  about.  At 
length  he  drew  a  letter  from  his  pocket,  saying : 
'  But  here  7s  what  releases  me  from  all  further  care 
of  you,  you  lazy  lout,  you  !  Your  father  ?s  dying,  and 
you  are  to  go  home  to  your  mother  ;  she  sent  me  this 
letter  to  say  so  this  morning  ;  so  pack  up  your  alls, 
and  begone  !  Off  with  you  at  once,  and  good  rid- 
dance of  bad  rubbish !  Nothing  but  plagues  and 
troubles  in  this  world,  I  do  think  ! '  As  he  finished 
speaking,  he  took  up  his  work  again  ;  and  I,  merely 
repeating  (in  a  tone  which  I  could  not  think  of  after- 
wards without  shuddering),  '  Your  father  ?s  dying, 
and  you  are  to  go  home  to  your  mother/  turned 
round,  and  went  out  of  the  shop.  I  remember 


26  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

shivering,  and  feeling  a  sharp  pain  shoot  through  my 
limbs,  as  I  passed  close  to  the  spot  where  my  poor 
Molly  had  lain  dead  so  lately.  I  remember  looking 
vacantly  at  her  comb,  which  remained  unconsciously 
clutched  in  my  fingers  ;  and  I  remember  something 
of  walking  through  the  streets,  and  taking  the  road 
which  led  across  the  country  towards  my  village 
home,  and  which  happened  to  be  the  same  I  had 
traversed  in  the  morning  on  my  luckless  errand  ;  but 
I  recollect  nothing  else  till  I  found  myself  leaning 
heavily  and  faintly  against  the  parapet  of  a  little 
bridge  that  crossed  the  road  near  where  the  accident 
had  happened  to  the  child  that  morning.  How  long 
I  remained  thus  I  do  not  know,  but  the  first  thing  I 
was  conscious  of  was  a  pair  of  little  chubby,  bare 
arms  clinging  round  my  neck,  and  a  voice  saying : 
'  Ay,  kiss  him,  and  hug  him,  and  love  him,  Billy,  for 
he  saved  your  life  this  morning,  that  he  did ! ?  I 
looked  up,  and  found  it  was  the  poor  woman  with 
her  child,  who  was  so  nearly  run  over,  and  whom 
she  was  holding  close  to  me  that  he  might  thank  me 
in  his  baby  way.  I  verily  believe  the  poor  little 
infant  returned  me  life  for  life  at  that  moment,  and 
was  an  instrument  in  the  hands  of  Providence  for 
bringing  relief  to  my  overburthened  heart ;  for  I  burst 
into  tears,  and  thus  found  vent  for  the  grief  and 
sorrow  that  had  struck  me  such  cruel  blows  in  the 
death  of  my  poor  Molly,  and  my  father's  danger, 
and  had  made  me  unable  to  shed  one  tear,  until  that 
time. 

"  Seeing  me  ill  and  sorrowful,  the  kind  woman 
took  me  into  her  cottage,  which  was  close  by,  where 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  27 

she  gave  me  some  food,  and  made  me  lie  down  upon 
her  bed  for  a  couple  of  hours,  telling  me  that,  even 
if  I  could  not  sleep,  it  would  be  better  to  take  some 
rest,  as  I  should, set  out  on  my  journey  all  the 
stronger  for  it.  But  heaven  sent  the  blessing  of 
sleep  to  support  the  poor  boy  in  his  early  trouble, 
and  I  did  not  awake  till  the  afternoon,  when  .my 
kind  friend  told  me  she  had  thought  of  a  good  plan 
for  me,  which  was  no  other  than  to  get  a  lift  in  the 
wagon  that  would  pass  by,  before  evening,  on  its 
way  to  the  part  of  the  country  where  our  village 
was  situated.  She  knew  the  wagoner,  she  said,  and 
she  would  speak  to  him  for  me,  and  tell  him  how 
well  I  deserved  help.  Well,  my  dears,  I  reached 
home,  but  it  was  too  late  !  My  father  had  died  of 
the  fever  that  he  had  taken  suddenly,  and  I  found 
that  my  poor  mother  was  rapidly  sinking  under  the 
same  disease,  which,  joined  to  the  fatigue  and  anx- 
iety of  nursing  him,  carried  her  off  in  three  days 
after  my  return  ;  so  that,  in  the  course  of  one  week, 
I  followed  both  parents  to  their  graves.  Nothing 
consoled  me  so  well,  under  the  grief  I  suffered  for 
their  loss,  as  the  recollection  that  I  had  never  yielded 
to  my  ardent  desire  to  become  a  sailor  while  they 
lived  ;  but  now  that  they  were  gone,  and  I  had  no 
tie  to  bind  me  to  home,  my  old  longing  for  the  sea 
returned  with  greater  force  than  ever.  To  my  desire 
for  wandering  was  now  added  a  disgust  towards  the 
land,  that  amounted  to  loathing.  I  thought  that 
those  who  spoke  of  the  perils  and  dangers  of  the 
ocean  strangely  overlooked  the  equal  risks  that 
existed  on  the  shore.  Had  I  not  lost  my  dear  and 


28  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

only  friends  by  violent  and  painful  deaths,  though 
they  had  never  stirred  abroad  ?  As  my  thoughts 
dwelt  in  horror  upon  the  mangled  form  of  my  poor 
Molly,  and  the  fevered  sufferings  of  my  dear  parents, 
I  asked  myself  whether  winds,  and  waves,  and 
stormy  shipwrecks,  could  have  worse  terrors.  Again 
the  vision  of  the  sea,  the  vast,  the  boundless  ocean, 
arose  to  my  imagination  as  the  only  free  and  unlim- 
ited range  for  man's  spirit,  and  I  yielded  to  my 
insatiable  craving  by  setting  forth  the  very  next  day 
on  my  voyage  of  life. 

"  I  have  already  kept  you  so  long,  my  dears,  talk- 
ing of  my  early  sorrows,  that  I  shall  not  stay  to  tell 
you  all  the  particulars  of  my  difficulties  in  getting  a 
berth  on  board  a  ship  ;  suffice  it  to  say,  that  I  did  at 
last  contrive  to  obtain  one,  and  was  likewise  so  for- 
tunate as  to  find  my  captain  and  shipmates  as  kind  a 
master  and  as  pleasant  companions  as  ever  fell  to 
the  lot  of  a  poor  cabin-boy  on  first  going  to  sea.  It 
will  frequently  happen,  in  the  course  of  my  after  ad- 
ventures, that  I  shall  have  to  allude  to  the  early 
friends  I  made  among  the  crew,  in  that  first  cruise 
of  mine ;  but  I  shall  not  stop  to  describe  them  now, 
as  it  is  getting  nearly  time  for  you  to  return  home, 
and  I  want  to  tell  you  a  bit  of  a  yarn  before  you  go, 
that  you  may  n't  think  all  my  adventures  are  ri..- 
melancholy  as  those  of  my  childhood  were. 

"  In  one  of  my  wanderings, —  it  was  some  timo  ci«tej 
my  first  voyage, —  I  was  sent  ashore,  with  another 
sailor  arid  a  young  boy,  by  the  captain,  to  get  a  sup- 
ply of  fresh  water.  The  latitudes  we  were  in  then 
being  very  hot,  and  the  atmosphere  very  stifling,  we 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  29 

had  been  for  some  days  greatly  distressed  on  board 
ship  for  the  want  of  this  important  provision,  so  that 
it  became  absolutely  necessary  to  seek  water,  not- 
withstanding there  was  some  risk  in  so  doing.  Many 
of  the  men  had  demurred  when  the  captain  had  first 
talked  of  landing,  others  had  evaded  the  task,  and 
all  had  muttered  hints  of  dread  and  dislike  of  this 
place,  though  it  was  fair  and  inviting  to  all  appear- 
ance, saying,  it  was  as  well  to  perish  of  thirst  at 
sea,  as  to  tempt  a  still  more  horrible  fate  on  this 
shore,  from  which  no  one  was  ever  known  to  return. 
My  natural  love  of  adventure,  and  my  usual  habit 
of  obedience,  however,  made  me  at  once  accept  the 
task,  when  the  captain  selected  me  for  the  purpose  ; 
and  one  of  the  least  cowardly  of  the  other  sailors 
and  the  boy  having  been  appointed  to  accompany 
me,  we  accordingly  lowered  the  boat,  and  rowed  to 
land,  which  in  itself  certainly  presented  anything 
but  a  hostile  aspect.  Trees,  of  ^he  most  beautiful 
shape  and  foliage,  stretched  forth  their  palmy 
branches  with  assurance  of  a  cooling  and  luxurious 
shade  ;  the  sands,  over  which  the  waves  rippled  in 
gentle  undulation,  were  of  the  most  dazzling  white- 
ness, and  were  strewed  with  innumerable  shells  of 
the  most  vivid  color  and  varied  form  ;  birds,  of 
bright  and  glowing  plumage,  glanced  from  tree  to 
tree,  uttering  melodious  cooings,  intermingled  with 
gay  outbursts  of  joyous,  thrilling  song ;  and  the 
grass,  which  lay  like  a  soft  green  carpet  beneath  the 
trees  beyond  the  sands,  was  sown  with  a  thousand 
many-colored  flowers  ;  while  a  sparkling  stream  of 
clear  water  flowed  like  a  silver  thread  through  the 


30  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

brilliant  landscape,  affording  the  most  delicious 
promise  of  the  needed  refreshment.  My  two  com- 
panions, on  beholding  this  rivulet,  forgot  their  fears, 
and,  pushing  the  boat  gently  aground,  sprang  ashore, 
and  ran  to  enjoy  the  desired  draught,  heedless  of  my 
earnest  entreaties  that  they  would  stay  to  help  me 
take  the  casks  out  of  the  boat.  Knowing  the  anx- 
iety of  the  captain  to  secure  the  desired  supply,  and 
the  extreme  state  of  suffering  to  which  the  crew 
were  reduced  from  its  want,  as  well  as  having  the 
habit  of  always  punctually  observing  the  old  rule  of 
'  duty  first,  and  pleasure  afterwards/  I  remained 
steadily  at  my  post,  lifting  out  the  casks  and  vessels 
we  had  brought  with  us  as  well  as  I  could  by  myself, 
though  not  without  some  impatience  at  my  compan- 
ions' desertion.  I  have  never  in  my  life,  my  dears, 
had  reason  to  repent  my  adherence  to  the  rule  I 
spoke  of  just  now,  which  should  form  a  chief  one  in 
the  conduct  of  everybody,  particularly  in  that  of  a 
sailor  ;  but  in  the  instance  I  am  now  relating  it  was 
of  singular  service  to  me.  Just  as  I  had  succeeded 
in  rolling  one  of  the  casks  ashore,  I  raised  my  head 
towards  my  companions,  with  the  intention  of  calling 
to  them  again  to  come  and  help  me,  when  I  was 
struck  with  terror  and  indescribable  dismay  at  what 
I  beheld.  The  sailor  had  gained  considerably  on  the 
steps  of  the  young  boy,  and  had  preceded  him  by 
some  minutes  in  arriving  at  the  brink  of  the  beauti- 
ful streamlet.  Here  he  had  thrown  himself  down  in 
all  the  rash  eagerness  of  ardent  thirst,  and  had  swal- 
.owed  several  long  draughts  of  the  tempting  liquid, 
when,  on  rising  from  the  ground  with  a  gesture  of 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  31 

luxurious  satisfaction,  and  while  I  almost  seemed  to 
hear  the  sigh  with  which  he  yielded  himself  to  the 
exquisite  enjoyment  of  allayed  thirst,  I  saw  him  no 
longer  ;  he  had  vanished  entirely  from  my  wonder- 
ing eyes  !  I  placed  my  hands  involuntarily  before 
them  for  an  instant,  and  then  again  strained  them  in 
the  endeavor  to  make  out  this  marvellous  disappear- 
ance. In  vain  !  the  man  had  totally  vanished  from 
the  scene.  The  spot  where  he  had  stood  an  instant 
before,  and  where  he  had  intercepted  my  view  of  the 
fatal  rivulet,  was  utterly  vacant ;  and  there  was  no 
one  to  be  seen  but  the  advancing  boy,  who,  struck, 
like  myself,  by  the  miraculous  disappearance  of  his 
comrade,  had  halted  for  a  moment  in  consternation, 
but  was  now  hastening  forward  again.  I  shouted  to 
him  to  return ;  I  implored,  I  threatened  ;  but  to  no 
purpose.  Goaded  alike  by  his  amazement,  his  curi- 
osity, and  his  raging  thirst,  he  speeded  on  to  the 
fatal  brink,  as  if  fascinated  to  his  destruction ;  and, 
to  my  unspeakable  horror,  I  beheld  him  share  the 
same  fate  as  his  companion  ! 

"  Whether  they  faded  into  the  air,  whether  they 
merged  into  the  shining  water  beside  them,  or 
whether  they  sunk  into  the  earth  beneath  their  feet, 
I  was  equally  unable  to  determine,  and  all  my  efforts 
to  discover  the  actual  cause  of  their  unhappy  doom 
were  unavailing.  I  could  not,  however,  fail  to  con- 
nect their  fate  with  the  mysterious  rivulet,  and, 
though  parched  with  thirst,  and  ready  to  sink  with 
exhaustion, —  the  result  of  my  terror  and  exposure 
to  the  noon-day  sun, —  I  firmly  resolved  I  would  not 
yield  to  the  sort  of  fascination; scinch  I  was  sensible 


32  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

was  fast  creeping  over  me,  and  urging  me  to  go  and 
drink  also ;  but,  turning  my  eyes  resolutely  away 
from  the  tempting  shore  and  alluring  stream,  I  looked 
in  the  direction  of  the  ship,  determining  to  row  back 
to  her  immediately,  while  I  had  strength  and  courage 
left.  These,  however,  had  very  nearly  forsaken  me 
altogether,  when  I  discovered  that  the  ship  was 
rapidly  receding  from  my  view,  and  that  she  was,  in 
fact,  making  all  sail  away  from  this  dangerous  and 
dreaded  place.  Giving  myself  up  for  lost,  I  uttered 
a  cry  of  agony,  and  sunk  on  the  sands  in  despair ; 
when,  reflecting  on  the  weakness  and  folly  of  such 
self-abandonment,  I  summoned  sufficient  energy  to 
crawl  beneath  the  shade  of  one  of  the  spreading 
palm-trees,  where,  stretched  on  the  velvet  turf,  I 
could  yield  with  greater  safety  to  the  overwhelming 
drowsiness  and  stupor  which  was  stealing  over  my 
senses.  My  sleep,  however,  was  fevered  and  rest- 
less. Visions  of  delicious  cool  draughts  tantalizingly 
held  to  my  parched  lips,  and  snatched  away  at  the 
moment  of  enjoyment,  tortured  and  disturbed  my 
repose.  I  beheld  translucent  waves  within  an  inch 
of  bathing  my  feet ;  I  saw  showers  of  silver  spray 
burst  in  a  thousand  sparkling  drops  just  a  hand's- 
breadth  from  my  aching  brow  ;  I  vainly  struggled  to 
plunge  my  burning  hands  into  a  crystal  vase  that 
seemed  placed  but  a  pace  or  two  from  the  tree  be- 
neath which  I  lay ;  but,  as  I  eagerly  pressed  forward 
to  seize  it,  it  eluded  my  grasp,  and,  assuming  the 
form  of  the  departing  ship,  seemed  to  vanish  in  a 
double  mockery,  which  so  stung  and  maddened  me 
that  I  started  and  awoke  with  a  deep  groan.  On 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  33 

unclosing  my  eyes,  the  first  object  they  encountered 
was  a  human  face  hanging  over  me  with  an  expres- 
sion of  interest  and  wonder ;  and,  springing  up  to 
be  on  my  guard,  I  found  it  belonged  to  a  short,  queer 
little  being,  about  three  feet  high,  who  began  making 
a  series  of  sharp,  quick  bows,  strutting  hither  and 
thither,  laying  his  hand  on  his  breast,  winking  his 
eyes,  and  chattering  very  fast,  though  unintelligibly  ; 
but  this,  joined  to  his  gestures,  which  were  anything 
but  uncourteous,  inspired  me  with  a  feeling  of  the 
ludicrous  rather  than  of  the  terrible,  so  that  I  soon 
concluded  that  I  had  nothing  to  fear,  especially  as 
the  creature's  size  rendered  him  no  very  formidable 
antagonist,  even  should  he  prove  himself  to  be  one, 
instead  of  a  friend. 

"  Trusting,  therefore,  to  these  conclusions,  I  made 
signs  to  him  that  I  was  perishing  with  thirst,  and 
that  I  entreated  him  to  help  me  to  some  means  of 
allaying  the  fever  that  consumed  me ;  when  he 
stepped  forward,  and,  nodding  consequentially  twice 
or  thrice,  he  took  me  by  the  hand  (which  he  con- 
trived to  do  with  a  very  patronizing  air,  notwith- 
standing the  difference  in  our  height),  and  led  me 
from  the  spot.  But  what  was  my  consternation 
when  I  found  that  he  was  leading  me  towards  the 
fatal  streamlet !  and  how  quickly  did  all  my  first 
misgivings  of  him  revive  when  I  found  that  this 
abominable  little  dwarf  actually  made  signs  to  me 
that  I  should  drink  !  I  started  back  in  abhorrence, 
and  was  just  about  to  give  way  to  my  desire  to  pun- 
ish him  for  his  treachery  by  pitching  him  into  the 
water  head  foremost,  when  I  reflected  that,  as  he 
3 


34  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

was  the  only  creature  I  had  met  with  in  this  appa- 
rently uninhabited  region,  I  absolutely  depended  on 
him  for  assistance  and  relief,  and  that  I  had  better 
not  destroy  him  till  I  had  tried  whether  I  could  not 
make  him  of  use  to  me. 

"  I  accordingly  made  signs  to  him  that  he  should 
drink  first,  which,  however,  he  immediately  declined 
by  stepping  back,  laying  his  hand  on  his  breast  as 
before,  with  innumerable  jerking  bows,  sharp  twink- 
lings of  his  eyes,  and  a  profusion  of  grimace  arid 
chattering.  He  then  pointed  to  a  tree  at  a  little 
distance,  on  which  grew  several  clusters  of  a  ruddy, 
juicy-looking  fruit,  and,  perceiving  that  I  hesitated, 
he  ran  towards  it,  and,  making  a  sudden  and  agile 
spring,  he  succeeded  in  plucking  down  a  branch, 
and  gathered  three  or  four  of  the  finest-looking, 
which  he  immediately  proceeded  to  eat,  nodding  and 
smiling  and  winking  at  me  all  the  while,  with  a  sly, 
sagacious  leer  of  triumph  and  encouragement. 

"  The  sight  of  this  delicious  fruit,  which  streamed 
with  juice  as  the  dwarf  opened  and  sucked  it,  was 
irresistibly  tempting  to  me ;  and,  satisfied  with  the 
precaution  I  had  taken,  I  recklessly  seized  some,  and 
buried  my  dry,  parched  lips  in  the  rosy  refreshment. 
No  bad  effects,  however,  followed  my  rash  act ;  on 
the  contrary,  the  cool,  pulpy  repast  quite  invigorated 
me,  and  I  felt  not  only  my  strength  repaired  and 
my  spirits  revived,  but  my  confidence  in  my  dimin- 
utive acquaintance  was  partially  restored  by  the 
pleasant  meal  he  had  been  the  means  of  procuring 
for  me. 

"I  accordingly  advanced  towards  him,  and  shook 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  85 

him  heartily  by  the  hand,  as  the  best  means  of  ex- 
pressing to  him  my  good  faith.  This  salutation  he 
received  with  his  usual  struts,  shrugs,  and  grimaces, 
and  ended  by  standing  on  tiptoe  and  endeavoring  to 
hit  me  a  smart  slap  on  the  back  :  which  friendly  effort, 
falling  short,  only  produced  a  feeble  tap  on  the  edge 
of  my  blue  jacket. 

"  However,  he  seemed  to  feel  that  amity  was  now 
reestablished  between  us,  and  so,  taking  me  by  the 
hand  again,  which  he  did  by  placing  his  little  fingers 
round  mine,  in  the  same  style  of  protection  and  sus- 
taining care  with  which  a  nursery-maid  would  lead 
along  her  young  charge,  he  conducted  me  under  the 
trees,  along  the  smooth  grass,  and  then  across  a  field 
or  two,  where,  to  my  surprise,  I  saw  wheat  growing 
with  all  the  signs  of  cultivation  and  human  care. 
Beyond 'these  fields  I  beheld  a  hut,  rudely  built,  but 
surrounded  by  a  garden  and  an  orchard,  and  bearing 
marks  of  order  and  habitation.  But  what  made  me 
look  at  this  hut  with  peculiar  attention  was  its  re- 
markable size,  and  the  large  proportions  of  its  doors, 
windows,  and  general  dimensions.  I  had  no  sooner 
remarked  this,  and  had  concluded  from  that  very 
circumstance  that  it  could  not  be  the  residence  of 
my  diminutive  guide,  than  I  perceived  that  he  was 
conducting  me  straight  towards  the  garden-gate, 
through  which  we  immediately  passed,  and  soon 
after  found  ourselves  standing  before  the  tall  door  of 
the  hut.  The  dwarf,  still  clutching  my  hand,  stepped 
up  upon  the  door-sill,  stood  on  tiptoe,  strained  his 
little  person  to  the 'utmost,  and  succeeded  in  lifting 
the  huge  ,  knocker  with  the  tips  of  his  finger-nails, 


36  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

letting  it  drop  again  with  a  ponderous  single  knock, 
which  somehow  fell  upon  my  heart  like  a  note  of  evil 
warning. 

"  I  had  hardly  time  to  reflect  upon  this,  and  to 
entertain  thoughts  of  extricating  my  hand  from  the 
dwarf's  grasp,  which,  though  small,  was  as  tight  as 
a  vice,  when  the  door  was  opened  by  a  figure  that 
made  my  heart  quail  with  dread. 

"  It  was  that  of  a  monster  some  eight  or  nine  feet 
high,  who  glared  at  us  with  red  flaming  eyes,  set 
round  with  flaxen  lashes,  and  brows  that  gave  a 
strange,  weak,  silly  look  to  his  great  features ;  and 
his  wide  nose  and  big  mouth  gaped  horribly  as  he 
smiled  a  ghastly  welcome,  and  displayed  enormous 
gums,  as  red,  and  almost  as  thick,  as  beet-roots. 

"  I  shuddered,  and  closed  my  eyes  involuntarily ; 
but  when  I  opened  them  again,  and  would  have  re- 
treated, I  found  the  door  made  fast  behind  me,  and 
that  I  was  in  the  hut  with  the  malicious  dwarf  and 
the  terrible  giant. 

"  The  two  were  soon  engaged  in  a  vehement  con- 
versation, of  which  I  immediately  guessed  I  was  the 
object,  from  the  frequent  glances  that  they  each 
directed  towards  me  ;  but  it  was  not  long  before  I 
found  I  had  more  to  dread  from  the  polite  attentions 
of  the  detestable  little  dwarf,  with  his  eternal  bow- 
ings and  scrapings,  than  from  the  mighty  arm  of  the 
giant,  who  had  filled  me  with  such  terror  by  his 
frightful  eyes  and  vast  grinning  gums.  At  one  pe- 
riod of  their  conference,  when  the  dwarf  became  ex- 
ceeding wroth,  and  was  making  as  if  he  would 
rush  towards  me,  the  giant  suddenly  and  effectually 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  37 

stopped  him  by  putting  his  forefinger  on  the  top  of 
his  head  ;  and,  at  last,  finding,  I  suppose,  that  it  was 
hopeless  arguing  the  point  any  longer  with  his  obsti- 
nate little  comrade,  he  ended  the  dispute  by  opening 
a  door  and  poking  me  into  a  side  room,  where,  upon 
recovering  my  breath  from  the  force  of  the  giant's 
push  (which,  though  doubtless  intended  for  a  gentle 
one,  was  sufficiently  powerful  to  fling  me  down  upon 
my  hands  and  knees  into  a  corner),  I  found  myself  a 
close  prisoner,  without  a  hope  of  escape.  The  door 
was  fast  locked,  and  the  window,  being  accommo- 
dated to  the  giant's  height,  was  far  above  my  head  ; 
and,  moreover,  there  was  no  chair  or  table  by  which 
I  could  hope  to  climb  up  to  it,  and  endeavor  to  make 
my  way  out.  Indeed,  there  was  no  furniture  of  any 
kind  in  the  apartment,  which  seemed  to  be  used  as 
a  sort  of  store-room  to  the  farm, — if  farm  the  hut 
could  be  called,  — for  on  all  sides  were  ranged  high 
shelves,  on  which  lay  provisions  of  many  kinds,  such 
as  loaves,  butter,  cheese,  eggs,  and  several  sorts  of 
fruits,  among  which  I  perceived  some  of  those  deli- 
cious juicy  rosy-cheeks,  that  I  had  enjoyed  so  much 
soon  after  my  first  meeting  with  the  hated  dwarf. 

"  The  peril  of  my  situation,  and  the  dread  of  in- 
censing still  further  those  creatures  in  whose  power 
I  now  so  completely  was,  could  not  prevent  my  feel- 
ing the  pangs  of  hunger  and  thirst  to  so  violent  a 
degree  that  the  sight  of  these  stores  high  above  my 
reach  filled  me  with  insupportable  longings,  and 
made  even  my  desire  of  escape  yield  to  the  imme- 
diate wish  to  obtain  some  of  this  tempting  food. 

"Inspired  by  this  ardent  craving,  I  seized  off  my 


38  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

hat  and  flung  it  up  at  one  of  the  shelves,  in  the  hope 
of  sweeping  down  some  of  the  good  things  with  it ; 
but,  alas  !  it  only  brought  down  one  of  the  rosy- 
cheeks  and  an  egg,  which  latter,  of  course,  was 
smashed  to  bits  by  the  fall ;  and,  what  was  worse, 
my  hat  had  pitched  right  on  to  the  shelf,  and  re- 
mained there.  However,  I  made  the  best  of  my 
misfortune,  by%devouring  the  fruit  and  draining  every 
drop  of  the  juice  it  contained  ;  but  I  had  hardly  knelt 
down  upon  the  floor,  carefully  endeavoring  to  sip  a 
little  of  the  yolk  from  the  broken  egg,  before  I  heard 
the  key  turn  softly  in  the  door,  and  in  an  instant 
after  beheld  the  broad  round  face  of  the  grinning 
giant  peering  in  at  me.  I  was  about  to  start  up 
with  a  cry  of  alarm  and  entreaty,  when  I  perceived 
that  the  big  monster  was  making  signs  to  me  to 
be  quiet,  and  at  the  same  time  pointing-  over  his 
shoulder  stealthily  with  the  huge  thumb  of  his  other 
hand. 

"I  remained  perfectly  still,  upon  which  he  ad- 
vanced into  the  room,  and,  coming  towards  me,  he 
perceived  the  remains  of  the  shattered  egg,  and  then 
glancing  up,  he  discovered  on  the  shelf  my  unfortv- 
nate  hat,  which  plainly  betrayed  the  source  of  the 
accident.  To  my  great  surprise,  however,  and  no 
less  relief,  he  took  up  the  offending  missile  with  a 
smile  of  pity,  as  if  he  understood  and  commiserated 
the  hunger  which  had  driven  me  to  this  expedient 
for  obtaining  food  :  and  then,  placing  it  with  would- 
be  gentleness  on  my  head,  —  though  the  weight  of 
his  descending  hand,  as  he  playfully  patted  it  on, 
nearly  stunned  me,  —  he  proceeded  to  break  open 


0*  THK 

UNIVERSITY 


KIT,  THE  G-IANT,  AND  THE  DWARF. 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  39 

two  loaves,  and,  placing  a  pat  of  butter  and  a  lump 
of  cheese  within  them,  between  the  crumb,  he  thrust 
them  hastily  into  my  hands,  and  strode  back  to  the 
door,  beckoning  me  to  follow  him  silently.  This  I 
did,  of  course,  and  entering  the  same  room  I  had 
been  in  before,  on  first  coming  to  the  hut,  I  saw  the 
remains  of  a  repast  spread  on  the  table,  at  one  end 
of  which  sat  the  dwarf,  reclining  in  an  arm-chair, 
with  a  half-emptied  goblet  of  wine  before  him,  his 
tooth-pick  in  his  hand,  his  mouth  open,  his  head 
thrown  back,  and  his  eyes  closed  in  a  profound 
i-  lumber.  The  friendly  giant  led  me  past  this  sleep- 
ing enemy,  and  I  had  hardly  time  to  wonder  within 
myself  at  all  this  deferential  observance  on  the  part 
of  this  strong  creature  towards  one  whom  one  blow 
<  f  his  huge  fist  would  have  annihilated  in  an  instant, 
\vhen  I  found  that  we  had  proceeded  through  the 
door  of  the  hut,  and  were  making  our  way  across 
the  garden  towards  the  orchard.  I  felt  almost  as 
much  perplexity  as  gratitude  at  the  conduct  of  the 
giant ;  for  I  could  not  account  for  his  generosity 
towards  me,  and  even  doubted  now  that  he  was 
really  aiding  me  to  escape,  so  forbidding  was  his 
aspect,  arid  so  at  variance  was  his  terrible  appear- 
ance with  his  kind  demeanor.  But  I  soon  had  a 
convincing  proof  of  the  real  goodness  of  his  inten- 
tions towards  me  ;  for,  seeing  a  brook  running  be- 
neath the  hedge  which  formed  the  boundary  between 
the  garden  and  the  orchard,  I  was  stooping  down  to 
assuage  the  thirst  which  still  tormented  me,  when 
the  giant  suddenly  snatched  me  by  the  shoulder,  and 
forcibly  upheld  me  and  prevented  my  drinking,  while 


40  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

his  vehement  gestures  and  eager  expression  of  coun- 
tenance warned  me  to  forbear.  In  an  instant  the 
truth  flashed  upon  me  ;  —  it  was  the  fatal  stream  !  — 
the  same  rivulet  whose  pernicious  waters  had  doomed 
my  comrades  to  destruction  before  my  eyes  that  very 
morning !  I  drew  back  in  dismay,  and,  struck  with 
the  conviction  of  my  friendly  giant  Vgenuine  benev- 
olence, I  seized  his  immense  hand  between  both 
mine,  and  pressed  it  fervently  to  my  lips.  He  seemed 
pleased  with  this  token  of  my  gratitude  ;  then,  lead- 
ing me  back  a  few  paces  towards  a  well  that  stood 
in  the  garden,  he  drew  for  me  a  bucket  of  the  deli- 
cious element,  and  watched  me  with  grim  benignity, 
while  I  revelled  in  its  limpid  coolness,  and  not  only 
drank  deep  consoling  draughts,  but  laved  my  face 
and  hands  in  the  long-desired  water.  Soon,  how- 
ever, he  resumed  his  careful  solicitude  for  my  safety, 
and,  glancing  uneasily  towards  the  hut,  as  if  he 
feared  the  awakening  and  approach  of  the  dwarf,  he 
gave  me  to  understand  I  must  now  hasten  away  im- 
mediately. I  once  more  hugged  his  enormous  hand 
to  my  breast,  and  prepared  to  depart ;  while  he, 
hastily  snatching  up  a  small  keg  that  lay  among 
some  other  vessels  by  the  well-side,  filled  it  with 
fresh  water,  and,  slinging  it  on  my  back,  he  hurried 
me  across  the  orchard  and  through  a  little  gate, 
which  he  closed  upon  me  as  soon  as  I  had  emerged 
into  the  open  fields.  His  evident  awe  of  the  dwarf 
had  impressed  me  with  a  like  fear  of  him,  and  had 
impelled  me  to  fly  with  the  utmost  speed  from  his 
hated  neighborhood  as  soon  as  I  was  thus  free  to  do 
so ;  but  when  I  had  reached  the  sea-shore,  and,  to 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  41 

my  groat  joy,  found  my  boat  still  floating  in  the  kind 
of  small  bay  where  I  had  left  it  in  the  morning,  I 
sprung  into  it,  and  as  I  rowed  away  from  this  fated 
shore  indulged  in  regret  at  having  so  abruptly 
parted  from  the  friendly  giant,  though  I  could  not 
but  rejoice  at  my  safe  delivery  from  the  malicious 
dwarf.  At  the  same  time  I  could  not  avoid  ponder- 
ing on  the  strange  events  that  had  happened  to  me 
on  this  lone  island,  if  island  it  were  ;  and  when  re- 
viewing the  wonderful  disappearance  of  my  com- 
rades, the  remarkable  behavior  of  the  dwarf  and  the 
giant,  so  singularly  in  contrast  with  their  several 
aspects,  and  the  extraordinary  way  in  which  I  had 
been  misled  and  deceived  throughout  by  appear- 
ances, I  could  never  recur  in  imagination  to  that 
spot  without  naming  it  in  fancy  the  Island  of  False 
Appearances. —  But  it  is  getting  late,  my  dear  young 
people,"  said  Kit,  interrupting  himself,  "and  though 
it  is  very  pleasant  chatting  away  to  you  of  old  ad- 
ventures, yet  I  must  leave  off  now,  lest  we  should 
not  be  allowed  to  spin  yarns  together  any  more." 

"  Good-by,  then,  dear  Kit,"  said  Fanny,  affec- 
tionately ;  "we  shall  be  sure  to  come  again  to-mor- 
row evening  for  another  story  ;  and  you  '11  tell  us 
one,  won't  you  ?  " 

The  old  man  nodded  a  smiling  assent,  and  the  two 
young  folks  returned  home  at  a  pace  that  betokened 
light  and  happy  hearts. 


42  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 


CHAPTEE    II. 

KIT'S     SECOND     YARN.  HIS    SHIPMATE,    JOHN    PAUL.  THE    RAIN- 
BOW    AND     THE      GOLDEN      KEY. THE     ROCKY     VALLEY.  THE 

OCEAN    OF    IMAGINATION. THE   LONE   MOTHER   AND    CHILD. 

"  Now,  then,  my  dear  Kit !  "  exclaimed  Fanny,  as 
she  and  her  brother  bounced  into  the  old  mariner's 
cottage  on  the  following  evening,  "  now,  then,  for 
another  yarn  !  But,  in  the  first  place,  I  want  you  to 
tell  me  all  about  the  very  first  adventure  you  ever 
had.  What  was  the  first  strange  event  that  ever 
happened  to  you  ?  And  how  old  were  you  ?  " 

"0,  but  first,  Fanny,  I  want  Kit  to  finish  his  yarn 
about  the  Island  of  Appearances/7  said  Dick,  "  and 
to  tell  us  how  he  managed  after  he  had  got  away 
from  the  wicked  dwarf  and  the  amiable  giant/7 

"  Well,  but  which  of  you  am  I  to  obey  ?  "  said  Kit, 
laughing.  "  I  can't  do  what  you  both  wish  at  once, 
can  I  ?  77 

"Then  tell  Dick  what  he  wishes  —  he  7s  the  eld- 
est ;  77 '  "  Tell  Fanny  what  she  wishes  —  she  7s  the 
youngest ;  77  exclaimed  both  the  young  Swallows,  in 
a  breath. 

"  You  are  both  good/7  said  the  old  man,  smiling, 
"  to  be  so  willing  to  give  up  to  each  other ;  but  per- 
haps 'eldest7  or  'youngest7  are  bad  reasons.  If  a 
lad  7s  given  up  to  because  he  7s  the  eldest,  it  7s  only 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  43 

adding  another  chance  to  the  usual  ones,  that  he  in 
made  a  selfish,  domineering  man  by  the  over-indul- 
gence of  his  mother  and  sisters ;  and  if  a  girl  is 
given  up  to  because  she  7s  the  youngest,  it  's  only 
teaching  her  to  be  more  exacting  and  whimsical  than 
younger  ones  are  apt  to  be.  However,  1 '11  give 
your  sister  her  way  this  time,  Dick,  my  friend,  for  a 
reason  that  I  don't  know  is  much  wiser  than  the  one 
you  thought  of,  but  which  will  do  for  us  two,  because 
we  are  gallant  men,  are  n't  we  ?  We  '11  give  Fanny 
her  wish,  because  she  's  a  woman,  eh  ?  shall  we  ?  " 

The  young  folks  laughed  merrily,  and  then  Kit, 
nodding  and  laughing  too,  began  his  second  yarn. 

"  My  first  strange  adventure  happened  to  me  as  I 
was  returning  from  my  first  voyage  with  that  pleas- 
ant ship's  company  that  I  mentioned  to  you  yester- 
day. It  was  a  calm  afternoon ;  the  weather  had 
been  serene  and  beautiful  for  many  days  ;  we  were 
sailing  on  a  smooth  sea,  with  only  just  breeze  enough 
to  send  us  merrily  on.  The  captain  was  in  his  cabin 
enjoying  his  cigar  and  his  glass  of  grog  after  mess  ; 
the  sailors  were  all  grouped  lazily  about,  either  chat- 
ting to  each  other  in  quiet  talk,  or  lolling  idly  on 
different  parts  of  the  deck,  half-dozing,  or,  perhaps, 
thinking,  for  there  was  nothing  particular  to  do,  and 
all  hands  were  at  ease.  I  was  hanging  listlessly 
over  the  side,  watching  the  rippling  waves  as  they 
danced  and  sparkled  beneath  my  eyes,  while  my 
thoughts  were  in  that  state,  half-idle,  half-employed, 
which  I  believe  some  people  call  musing.  My  fancy 
carelessly  wandered  over  some  of  the  early  scenes 
of  my  infancy,  when,  quite  a  child,  I  had  toddled 


44  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

about  the  floor  of  our  small  cottage,  watching  my 
mother  engaged  about  some  household  work  ;  insig- 
nificant trifles  floated  indistinctly  to  and  fro  before 
me  ;  I  saw  the  sanded  hearth,  and  the  deal  tables 
and  chairs,  snow-white  with  my  mother's  housewifely 
care  ;  I  heard  the  wooden  clock  tick,  arid  the  cat 
purr,  and  even  the  clatter  of  the  tea-cups  and  saucers 
as  they  were  ranged  on  the  board  for  our  evening 
meal.  These  slight  home  fancies  were  succeeded,  or 
rather  crossed  and  checkered,  by  curious  things  that 
had  been  told  me  at  different  times  by  some  of  my 
favorite  shipmates,  Will  Wavelance,  Geoffrey  Tabard, 
John  Paul,  Edmund  Faery,  and  others,  who  would 
spin  yarns  by  the  hour  together,  when  any  one  of 
them  and  I  kept  watch  together.  Well,  I  can't  tell 
how  it  was,  —  I  could  not  make  it  out  at  the  time, 
and  I  can't  even  now  say  exactly  how  it  happened, 

—  but,  in  the  midst  of  this  dreamy  state,  I  suddenly 
found  myself  plunging  and  flouncing  in  the  open  sea, 
and  buffeting  with  the  waves  for  dear  life.     I  sup- 
pose I  must  have  lost  my  hold,  and  slipped  over  the 
side,    while   I   was   wandering  and   wool-gathering 
among  all  that  cross-fire  of  fancies  and  odd  notions, — 
but,  however,  there  I  was,  sure  enough  ;  and,  what 
was  worse,  I  could  not  swim  fast  enough  to  gain 
upon  the  ship,  and  no  one  on  board  seemed  to  be 
aware  of  my  having  fallen   overboard,   nor  could  I 
make  them  hear  my  cries,  shout  and  bawl  as  I  would, 

—  and  pretty  lustily  I  did  that,  you  may  be  sure.  For- 
tunately, I  was  a  good  swimmer  ;  and,  though  my 
heart  sank  within  me  when   I  found  that  I  could 
neither  overtake  the  ship  nor  make  the  crew  hear  me, 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.          '  45 

yet  still  it  did  not  fail  me  altogether,  and  I  swam  on 
with  tolerable  courage  for  some  time,  knowing  that 
I  could  not  be  very  far  from  land,  which  we  had  seen 
at  intervals  for  some  days  past,  as  if  it  were  the  coast 
of  some  large  continent.  At  length  I  became  con- 
scious that  my  power  would  soon  be  exhausted,  and 
I  cast  about  eagerly  in  my  mind  how  I  could  best 
husband  it,  to  enable  me  to  reach  land  in  safety.  I 
remembered  hearing  that  if  you  could  but  hold  your- 
self perfectly  still  in  the  water,  and  allow  yourself  to 
lie  flat  on  your  back,  you  might  float  with  ease  and 
safety.  I  contrived  carefully  to  assume  this  position  ; 
and,  the  weather  being  calm,  and  the  tide  flowing  in, 
they  favored  my  endeavors,  and  it  was  not  long  be- 
fore I  found  myself  gently  drifting  right  on  to  the 
desired  land,  which  proved  to  be  a  shelving,  sandy 
shore,  and  very  convenient  for  my  purpose.  I  had 
no  sooner  effected  my  safe  landing  than  I  threw  my- 
self on  my  knees,  and  returned  heartfelt  thanks  to 
God  for  my  preservation  ;  and  then,  having  allowed 
myself  half  an  hour's  rest  after  my  toilsome  swim- 
ming, I  proceeded  to  explore  the  place  where  I  was, 
and  to  find  out  whether  it  would  not  afford  some 
means  of  satisfying  the  hunger  of  which  I  began  to 
feel  sensible. 

"  The  country  was  fertile  and  beautiful,  but  there 
were  no  marks  of  habitation,  and  the  few  birds  and 
animals  I  met  with  were  so  little  alarmed  by  my 
appearance,  that  I  felt  convinced  they  had  no  human 
beings  to  dread.  Though  this  relieved  me  from  fear 
of  meeting  with  savages  or  other  foes,  yet  it  consid- 
erably lessened  my  hope  of  finding  any  means  of 


46          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

assuaging  my  growing  appetite  for  food.  As  I 
walked  on,  my  attention  was  attracted  by  the  ma- 
noeuvres of  a  bee  that  was  wrestling  in  the  cup  of  a 
beautiful  bell-shaped  flower,  and  seemed  to  be  almost 
unable  to  extricate  himself,  either  clogged  by  the 
weight  of  wax  he  had  collected,  or  detained  by  the 
sticky  nature  of  the  petals  of  the  flower  on  which 
he  walked,  or  rather  stumbled  along  buzzingly.  I 
stopped  to  help  him  out  of  his  uncomfortable  strait, 
and  I  soon  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  him  dart  away 
in  a  hurried  manner,  as  if  he  thought  he  had  better 
return  home  in  case  of  a  change  of  weather.  He 
did  not  fly  far,  however,  for  I  saw  him  settle  on  a 
neighboring  tree,  where  he  went  straight  to  a  small 
crevice  in  one  of  the  lower  branches,  and  crept  in 
with  his  load.  If  I  could  but  help  myself  to  a  little 
of  that  wild  bee's  store,  thought  I,  in  return  for  the 
service  I  have  just  rendered  him  !  A  feast  of  honey 
would  be  no  bad  thing !  I  went  towards  the  tree, 
and,  with  a  little  climbing,  soon  reached  the  branch 
which,  as  I  conjectured,  contained  the  bee's  nest, 
with  a  considerable  store  of  honey.  Indeed,  I  was 
soon  convinced  that  all  this  large  collection  was  not 
owing  to  the  industry  of  my  little  friend  alone,  for 
out  flew  a  dozen  or  more  of  his  hive-mates,  as  soon 
as  I  had  helped  myself  to  a  handful  of  their  store. 
Whether  my  little  friend  the  bee  had  prepossessed 
his  companions  in  my  favor,  by  having  informed 
them  of  the  assistance  I  had  just  given  him,  or 
whether  they  were  naturally  hospitable,  and  willing 
tli at  I  should  enjoy  a  share  of  their  good  things,  I 
know  not ;  but  certain  it  is  that  they  left  me  per- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  47 

fectly  unmolested ;  and  I,  rejoiced  to  be  spared  an 
attack  of  their  stings,  sat  at  rny  ease  in  the  tree, 
enjoying  my  feast,  which  was  soon  enhanced  by  my 
pulling,  off  some  of  the  cones  or  pods  which  grew  on 
the  boughs  near  me,  and  finding  that  thoy  contained 
a  sort  of  floury  substance  very  like  wheat ;  so  that 
I  do  not  know  that  I  ever  eat  a  better  treat  of  bread 
and  honey  in  all  my  life. 

"  The  scene  was  beautiful ;  my  meal  was  pleasant, 
and  seasoned  by  that  best  of  sauces,  hunger ;  my 
heart  was  light  with  the  feeling  of  recent  deliverance 
from  peril,  and  I  gave  myself  up  to  the  pleasurable 
feeling  of  the  moment,  without  suffering  myself  to 
be  depressed  by  the  thought  of  any  coming  evil  that 
might  possibly  be  in  store  for  me.  Even  the  uncer- 
tainty of  food  and  lodging  for  the  night  I  would  not 
permit  to  interfere  and  perplex  me  then  ;  and  I  have 
frequently  had  reason,  my  dears,  to  be  thankful  to 
the  Almighty  for  having  blessed  me  with  this  happy 
temper  of  mine  —  a  power  of  enjoying  the  passing 
good,  without  meeting  a  coming  misfortune  half 
way. 

"Presently  I  had  cause  to  admire  that  keen  fore- 
knowledge of  weather  which  my  friend  the  bee  had 
shown  himself  to  possess  in  common  with  all  his 
tribe  ;  for,  as  I  sat  dangling  my  feet  from  my  com- 
fortable perch  on  the  branch,  and  enjoying  myself  as 
I  told  you,  I  felt  a  drop  of  water  fall  on  my  nose,  and 
presently  another  on  my  eyelid  that  made  me  wink, 
and  then  another,  and,  in  a  few  moments,  more  and 
more  ;  and  at  last  I  perceived  that  there  was  rain 
coming  down  fast.  It  did  not  incommode  me  much 


48  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

where  I  sat,  so  well  did  the  boughs  and  leaves  of  the 
tree  screen  me  from  the  wet ;  I  therefore  remained 
where  I  was,  and  enjoyed  the  beauty  of  the  landscape 
under  the  influence  of  the  passing  shower.  And 
very  lovely  it  was  !  The  trees,  the  grass,  the  distant 
hills,  faded  gradually  from  the  rich  golden  hue  in 
which  they  had  been  previously  bathed  by  the  after- 
noon sun,  and  were  shrouded  in  a  soft  gray  veil,  that 
only  permitted  their  graceful  outlines  to  be  partially 
revealed.  Then  fell  the  slanting  rain-shower ;  and 
presently  the  rays  of  the  sun,  gaining  power,  darted 
their  magic  light  across  the  scene,  and  turned  all  to 
glistening  beauty.  A  thousand  diamonds  gemmed 
each  leaf  and  spray,  bright  flashed  the  still-falling 
rain-drops,  and  clear  and  distinct  shone  the  distant 
hill-tops  against  the  rich  back-ground  of  the  purple 
clouds.  Suddenly  all  became  steeped  in  a  gorgeous 
many-colored  splendor,  and  I  felt  that  I  was  in  the 
midst  of  a  stately  rainbow.  Often,  when  I  had  beheld 
this  magnificent  object  at  sea,  and  its  far-stretching 
arch  spanned  the  entire  heavens,  I  had  thought  with 
tender  awe  of  its  symbolic  significance  of  God's 
mercy  to  man,  and  admired  it  as  one  of  the  most 
elevating  as  well  as  beautiful  objects  in  creation  ; 
but  now  my  whole  mind  was  occupied  with  some- 
thing I  had  heard  one  of  my  shipmates  say  about 
the  rainbow.  It  was  John  Paul ;  I  believe  he  had 
some  other  name,  some  surname,  but  I  never  heard 
him  called  anything  but  John  Paul  among  our  crew. 
Well,  once  when  we  stood  together  at  the  ship's 
prow,  admiring  a  majestic  lainbow  that  lay  across 
the  heavens  before  us,  John  Paul  told  me  that  he  had 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  49 

heard  it  frequently  affirmed  in  his  native  land,  Ger- 
many, that  on  the  spot  where  the  rainbow  rises  a 
golden  key  is  to  be  found.  Now  I  thought  of  this  ; 
now  that  I  felt  in  the  very  centre  of  the  rainbow 
itself,  as  it  were,  I  thought  of  this  tale  of  the  spot 
where  it  rises,  and  of  the  golden  key,  and  I  won- 
dered whether  I  was  not  actually  on  the  very  place 
indicated. 

"  I  looked  vaguely  on  the  ground,  with  certainly 
but  a  very  faint  idea  of  seeing  my  hope  realized, 
when  what  was  my  astonishment  to  behold  lying  on 
the  grass,  at  a  few  paces  from  me,  a  golden  key  !  I 
started  forward  and  seized  my  prize  eagerly ;  and  in- 
deed such  was  the  joy  that  took  possession  of  me,  as 
I  gazed  on  it  with  wonder  and  admiration  at  its  rich- 
ness and  beautiful  shape,  that  I  could  scarcely  for- 
bear clasping  it  to  my  heart,  or  pressing  it  to  my 
lips.  It  was  a  strange,  indescribable  rapture  that  I 
felt  as  I  examined  this  new-found  treasure  again  and 
again.  A  sort  of  unaccountable  transport  glowed  in 
my  heart,  and  made  my  veins  thrill  with  glad  ecstasy. 
And  yet  I  knew  not  why  I  should  be  so  delighted 
with  the  discovery  of  this  key.  I  have  said  it  was 
rich,  and  of  a  beautiful  shape.  It  was  so,  for  it  was 
of  gold,  and  its  wards  were  formed  of  graceful  lines 
and  curves,  that  delighted  the  eye  by  their  variety 
and  harmonious  proportion.  Still,  singular  to  say, 
it  was  extremely  simple  withal ;  and  I  believe  that 
it  was  this  extreme  simplicity,  joined  to  its  magic 
beauty,  that  filled  me  with  such  wild  and  almost 
absurd  admiration.  My  next  feeling  was  one  of 
wonder  to  what  or  to  where  it  belonged.  Did  it 
4- 


50  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

open  some  mysterious  castle  ?  Did  it  make  fast 
some  concealed  treasure,  of  which  I  was  to  be  the 
fortunate  discoverer?  Did  it  close  in  some  crime 
from  the  eye  of  day  ?  or  did  it  withhold  from  the  light 
some  wondrous  knowledge  ? 

"  I  was  recalled  from  my  revery  about  the  key  by 
perceiving  that  the  shades  of  evening  were  gradually 
stealing  over  the  landscape,  and  that  I  must  speedily 
make  up  my  mind  as  to  what  I  had  best  do  for  a 
berth  to  sleep  in.  Not  a  trace  of  hut,  cabin,  or  habi- 
tation of  any  kind,  was  there  to  be  seen,  and  the  hills 
were  too  distant  for  me  to  hope  to  be  able  to  reach 
them  in  time  for  me  to  find  a  cave  to  sleep  in.  At 
length  I  resolved  to  climb  up  again  into  my  friendly 
tree,  which  had  already  afforded  me  such  excellent 
shelter ;  so,  after  having  sought  about  till  I  found 
some  berries  on  a  bush  near  at  hand,  I  made  a  toler- 
ably hearty  supper  on  these,  as  I  did  not  wish  to  tax 
the  hospitality  of  my  friends  the  bees  too  heavily, 
and  then  I  went  to  bed  with  the  best  cheer  I  might. 
I  had  no  sooner  fallen  asleep,  however,  than  my 
dreams  took  the  color  of  the  events  which  had  so 
lately  occupied  my  waking  thoughts.  I  fancied  that 
I  was  still  in  the  lonely  spot  where  I  had  found  the 
golden  key,  and  that  I  sat  on  a  grassy  mound  intently 
gazing  upon  it,  while  I  revolved  all  the  questions 
concerning  its  shape  and  purpose  which  had  recently 
perplexed  me. 

"  As  I  gazed,  methought  I  was  sensible  of  an  in- 
creased brilliancy  in  the  rainbow-tinted  atmosphere 
that  still  suffused  every  surrounding  object,  and,  on 
raising  my  head  to  discover  the  cause,  my  eyes 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  51 

encountered  those  of  a  being  who  was  gazing  on  me 
with  an  aspect  of  benign  encouragement. 

"  Its  figure  was  that  of  a  young  seraph,  and  was 
robed  in  a  garment  of  shining  white.  Two  curious 
wings,  of  vivid  and  varied  hue,  sprung  from  his 
shoulders  ;  his  limbs  were  of  the  most  graceful  mould, 
and  bespoke  strength  and  swiftness,  combined  with 
delicacy ;  while  the  exquisite  features  that  composed 
his  countenance  shone  with  a  radiant  expression  of 
goodness,  intelligence,  and  happiness,  that  was 
more  than  mortal.  As  I  looked  up  to  this  lustrous 
stranger,  with  respectful  admiration  and  attention, 
his  lips  parted  with  a  serene  smile,  and  he  spoke 
with  a  voice  of  silver  sweetness. 

"'Happy  human  being  I '  said  the  vision;  'you 
hold  in  your  hand  the  means  of  a  beatitude  seldom 
attained  in  perfection  by  your  race.  It  is  within  the 
reach  of  almost  all  ;  and  yet  how  few  are  the  happy 
ones  who  resolutely  stretch  forth  their  hand  to  seize 
the  blessings  contained  in  its  dominion  !  Even  you, 
mortal,  are  ignorant  of  its  value  ;  you  know  not  how 
to  use  the  means  actually  within  your  power  —  in 
your  very  grasp  ! ; 

"  The  figure  glanced  at  the  key  I  held  in  my  hand, 
and  continued  :  '  That  key,  rightly  used,  conveys  to 
the  owner  unbounded  wealth,  exhaustless  treasures, 
in  realms  apart  from  the  common  haunts  of  men. 
But  beware  of  seeking  these  riches  sordidly,  or  with 
an  unhallowed  motive  ;  the  key  will  never  turn,  the 
lock  will  never  yield.  That  key,  in  the  hands  of  one 
with  a  pure  heart  and  clear  brain,  renders  him  more 
potent  than  a  monarch,  more  mighty  than  an  einpe 


52  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

ror,  and  possessing  more  rule  over  his  fellow-men 
than  a  conqueror  at  the  head  of  a  vast  army.  That 
key,  truly  applied,  lets  in  the  free  light  of  heaven  to 
the  deepest  and  darkest  dungeon  that  ever  disgraced 
the  earth,  and  leads  forth  the  closest  prisoner  that 
ever  pined  for  life  and  liberty.  Bright,  and  with 
honest  mastery,  that  key  discloses  exalted  arid  infinite 
blessings  ;  rusty,  consigned  to  neglect,  or,  worse 
than  all,  misused,  it  becomes  a  blight  and  a  withering 
curse  to  its  possessor/ 

"I  shuddered ;  the  voice  ceased  ;  I  recovered,  and 
looked  up  ;  but,  alas !  the  vision  had  departed,  and 
left  me  uninstructed  as  to  the  way  in  which  I  was  to 
set  about  gaining  the  requisite  knowledge  as  owner 
of  the  key.  The  pang  of  disappointment  I  endured 
gave  me  such  pain,  that  I  awoke  with  a  start.  I 
found  the  dawn  just  breaking,  and  the  chill  of  the 
morning  air  so  benumbed  my  limbs,  that  I  was  glad 
to  descend  from  my  tree  couch,  and  try  what  exer- 
cise would  do  towards  restoring  warmth  and  vigor 
to  them.  I  walked  sharply  forward  then,  in  the 
direction  of  the  hills,  and  soon  I  found  the  motion 
bring  not  only  elasticity  to  iny  frame,  but  comfort 
and  animation  to  my  spirits,  which  had  been  some- 
what depressed  by  the  baffling  dream  ;  so  that,  by  the 
time  the  sun  rose  in  all  his  majesty,  I  was  in  a  fit 
state  of  energetic  resolve  and  buoyant  hope,  to  pay 
him  my  morning  salutation,  and  to  offer  up  my  devo- 
tions to  the  bountiful  Creator  of  all  good,  with  a 
grateful  and  trusting  spirit.  By  the  time  I  reached 
the  hills,  my  appetite,  sharpened  by  early  exercise, 
warned  me  that  I  was  quite  ready  for  breakfast,  and 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  53 

bade  me  look  keenly  in  search  of  something  that 
might  supply  me  with  one.  From  a  slight  rift  in  a 
gentle  eminence  a  little  further  on,  all  overhung  with 
flowering  shrubs,  and  droopin-g  brambles,  and  floating 
garlands  of  a  kind  of  wild  honeysuckle,  I  saw  a  little 
rill  trickling  forth ;  and  I  was  just  admiring  this 
natural  fountain,  and  congratulating  myself  on  this 
pleasant  substitute  for  tea  or  coffee,  after  a  long 
morning's  walk,  when,  peering  about  in  its  neighbor- 
hood for  a  seat,  where  I  might  rest  myself,  while  I 
enjoyed  a  cool  draught  of  the  refreshing  beverage,  I 
suddenly  found  I  had  scared  a  flock  of  birds,  some- 
thing like  our  plovers.  They  rose  in  a  body  into  the 
air,  at  my  abrupt  appearance,  though  they  evidently 
did  not  fear  me  much,  as  they  settled  again  very 
shortly,  and  not  far  off. 

"  On  approaching  the  spot  whence  they  had  risen, 
and  which  was  a  sort  of  sheltered  grassy  nook  not 
far  from  the  fountain,  I  found,  to  my  great  joy,  a 
number  of  eggs,  scattered  about  in  clusters  here  and 
there,  which  made  me  guess  that  these  creatures 
used  this  pleasant  spot  as  a  sort  of  general  nest  for 
their  community.  You  may  imagine  I  did  not  scruple 
to  help  myself  to  some  of  their  treasure,  and  a  very 
excellent  meal  of  eggs  and  spring-water  did  I  make. 
After  breakfast  I  resumed  my  journey,  and  about  ten 
o'clock,  as  I  guessed  by  the  sun,  I  had  surmounted 
the  chain  of  hills.  On  descending  the  other  side,  I 
found  myself  in  a  rocky  valley,  wild  and  desolate 
beyond  description.  There  was  a  sort  of  dull,  leaden 
atmosphere,  too,  that  hung  over  this  dreary  spot, 
which  rendered  its  sterile  features  still  more  gloomy 


54  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

and  repulsive,  though  they  were  sufficiently  austere 
in  themselves.  Steep  rocks,  of  one  uniform  dull  gray 
color,  frowned,  in  rude  grandeur,  on  every  side,  and 
seemed  inaccessible  to  all  human  footsteps.  Stern, 
sullen,  arid,  and  blank,  the  barren  monotony  of  the 
scene  struck  a  chill  to  the  heart,  and  cast  an  oppress- 
ive weight  on  the  spirits.  I  traversed  the  valley  with 
listless,  aimless  steps,  and  with  a  jaded  supineness 
of  feeling  that  was  more  insupportably  wearisome 
than  the  hardest  labor  or  the  most  irksome  tasks 
could  have  been.  I  dragged  my  limbs  along,  and 
yet  I  seemed  to  have  no  object  in  proceeding.  How 
was  this  inert  apathy  changed,  however,  into  joyful 
energy  and  thrilling  expectation,  when  I  arrived  on 
the  other  side  of  the  dreary  valley,  and  beheld  in  the 
granite  wall  of  rock,  which  formed  its  opposite  bound- 
ary, a  key-hole, —  a  distinct,  well-defined  key-hole, — 
and  one  that  instantly  struck  me  as  being  of  similar 
dimensions  with  my  new-found  treasure  of  the  pre- 
vious evening, —  the  wondrous  golden  key  !  I  drew 
it  forth  from  my  bosom,  where  I  had  carefully  se- 
cured it,  and  was  about  to  apply  it  eagerly  to  the 
lock,  when  the  words  of  the  vision  flashed  upon  my 
memory,  and  I  hesitated,  with  a  timid  doubt  of  my 
own  unworthiness  and  inefficiency  for  the  task  before 
me.  The  key  was  to  be  '  rightly  used/  '  truly  ap- 
plied ;  ;  did  these  require  any  previous  consideration 
or  study  ?  It  was  to  be  directed  by  the  hands  of  one 
who  had  a  '  pure  heart  and  a  clear  brain  ; ;  did  I 
possess  either  ?  I  hardly  knew,  young  and  inexpe- 
rienced as  I  was,  how  to  resolve  these  questions. 
But  I  thought,  '  I  do  know  that  I  shall  use  it  without 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  55 

one  sordid  or  unhallowed  motive  ;  for  I  do  not  par- 
ticularly covet  riches  or  power,  and  it  is  solely  with 
a  hope  of  strange  adventure  and  new  incidents  that 
I  feel  urged  to  try  the  power  of  the  golden  key. 
Besides,  neglect  and  rusty  disuse  are  equally  to  be 
avoided  by  its  possessor  ;  let  me  then  endeavor  to 
apply  it  honestly  and  trustfully/  Stepping  lightly 
forward,  then,  and  breathing  a  short  but  fervent 
prayer  to  heaven  that  my  enterprise  might  prosper, 
with  a  throbbing  but  resolute  heart  I  placed  the  key 
in  the  lock.  I  had  no  sooner  done  so,  than  a  strain 
of  solemn  music  pealed  forth  as  of  a  rich  and  deep- 
toned  organ  in  some  cathedral  aisle  ;  a  soft  and  gra- 
cious perfume  pervaded  the  atmosphere,  and  the 
granite  rocks  parted  before  me,  and  disclosed  a 
scene  of  sublime  beauty.  I  beheld  a  wide  expanse 
of  ocean  steeped  in  the  most  gorgeous  sunshine ; 
the  waves  heaved  and  fell  in  glowing  undulations 
of  light ;  the  sky  blazed  in  noon-day  splendor,  and 
reflected  lustrous  brilliancy  on  the  gray  rocks  that 
surrounded  the  valley,  gilding  even  their  dulness. 
I  stepped  forth  to  meet  this  burst  of  radiance,  when 
the  granite  gates  of  the  rocky  valley  closed  immedi- 
ately behind  me,  and  I  then  perceived  that  I  had 
inadvertently  left  the  key  in  the  lock  on  the  other 
side.  I  felt  little  temptation,  it  is  true,  to  return  to 
the  dreary  monotony  of  the  rocky  valley  ;  the  rather, 
as  I  reflected  that  the  key  had  already  done  its  office 
in  having  introduced  me  to  this  new  and  glowing 
region,  so-inviting  and  so  full  of  promise. 

"  I  gazed  with  rapture  on  this  grand  expanse  of 
ocean,  and  felt  all  my  early  love  of  the  sea  revive 


56  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

in  full  force,  with  an  added  sense  of  beauty  that 
swelled  my  heart,  and  filled  my  eyes.  Mingled  awe 
and  admiration  possessed  my  soul  as  I  contemplated 
this  ever-heaving  bosom  of  Mother  Nature,  which 
conveys  her  children  to  behold  all  those  distant 
wonders  that  fill  the  imagination,  and  dilate  the 
heart  with  burning  desire  to  wander  forth,  and  come 
face  to  face  with  their  marvellous  reality.  I  felt 
even  physical  effects  of  this  yearning  of  the  spirit ; 
my  chest  expanded,  my  breathing  was  deep  yet 
hurried,  my  fingers  were  clutched  in  impatient  con- 
vulsion, and  my  feet  curled  and  writhed  with  the 
vehemence  of  my  longing  to  set  forth  at  once.  As  I 
stood  thus  pantingly,  and  strained  forth  my  eyes,  I 
distinguished,  amid  the  dazzling  undulations  of  the 
waves,  a  small  object,  which  proved  to  be  a  boat ;  it 
was  not  moored,  but  balanced  lightly  to  and  fro,  as  ii 
beckoning  me  to  put  forth  upon  that  glowing  ocean. 
A  few  plunges  enabled  me  to  reach  it,  as  it  lay  close 
in  shore,  and,  stepping  in,  I  yielded  myself  up  to  the 
delight  of  finding  myself  launched  upon  the  alluring 
waters,  taking  no  thought  of  rudder,  compass,  ot 
sails,  but  feeling  a  sort  of  lulling  though  blind  faith 
in  the  power  of  this  slight  vessel  to  convey  me  pros- 
perously to  some  desirable  haven. 

"  I  had  proceeded  thus  some  hours,  feeling  neither 
hunger  nor  thirst,  so  absorbed  was  I  with  the  delight 
of  this  new  world  of  waters,  when  towards  evening  I 
became  sensible  that  I  was  approaching  land.  I 
folded  my  arms,  and,  drooping  my  head  a  little,  I 
closed  my  eyes,  and  yielded  to  a  sort  of  dreamy  re- 
pose, between  sleeping  and  waking,  partly  the  result 


KIT    BAM,    MARIXEK.  57 

of  the  strong  emotions  I  had  felt  during1  the  day.  As 
I  sat  thus,  I  was  roused  from  my  soothing  composure 
by  a  something  that  pressed  softly  and  warmly  across 
my  feet.  I  know  not  why,  but  I  did  not  unclose  my 
eyes  immediately  ;  when  I  was  still  more  startled  by 
feeling  the  warm  soft  object  move,  then  followed  a 
gentle  cooing  sound,  and,  on  opening  my  eyes,  1 
beheld,  to  my  infinite  astonishment,  a  little  child 
crawling  over  my  feet,  and  stretching  forth  its  fat, 
dimpled  hand  to  my  knee  with,  a  winning  murmur  of 
entreaty,  as  if  it  besought  me  to  take  it  up  and  caress 
it.  In  the  utmost  amazement,  I  took  it  in  my  arms, 
and  set  it  on  my  knee,  and  pressed  its  soft,  bloom- 
ing cheek  to  my  bosom,  while  I  kissed  its  fair,  curly 
head,  and  uttered  an  incoherent  exclamation  of  ten- 
derness and  surprise.  The  little  creature  only  fixed 
its  large  blue  eyes  upon  mine  for  a  moment,  smiled, 
repeated  his  cooing  murmur,  and  then  replaced  his 
head  against  my  breast  with  affectionate  pleasure, 
and  the  loving  confidence  of  childhood. 

"  It  seemed  about  a  year  or  fifteen  months  old,  and 
too  young  to  walk  ;  but  how  could  it  have  come  into 
my  boat  ?  Had  it  dropped  from  the  clouds  ?  Was 
it  wafted  through  the  air  ?  Had  it  been  borne 
hither  floating  on  the  waters  ?  I  kissed  its  bright 
hair,  and  folded  its  chubby  limbs  in  my  arms  again 
and  again,  as  if  to  convince  myself  of  its  reality, 
and  actual  presence  ;  for  I  could  hardly  believe  my 
senses,  that  a  lovely,  living  child  was  actually  in  the 
boat  with  me. 

"  It  seemed  to  like  its.,  new  friend  and  its  snug 
berth,  for  it  nestled  close  to  me,  and  sung  a  little 


58  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

under-song  to  itself,  as  of  cooing1  contentment.  As 
we  neared  land,  however,  it  raised  its  head  and 
began  to  struggle  slightly  in  my  embrace,  as  if  it 
wished  to  free  itself  from  my  encircling  arms.  I 
withdrew  them  ;  the  infant  slid  down  through  my 
knees,  and  before  I  could  distinguish  how  it  was,  or 
by  what  means  he  reached  as  far,  I  beheld  him  on  the 
prow  of  the  boat,  half  crawling,  half  clinging  to  the 
side.  I  uttered  an  exclamation  of  terror  almost 
amounting  to  a  screajn  ;  when,  as  I  rose  to  spring 
forward  and  rescue  him  from  his  dangerous  situation, 
I  beheld  the  little  urchin  rise,  totteringly,  to  an 
upright  position,  and  while  he  uttered  a  musical 
crowing  laugh  as  he  nodded  to  me  in  baby  triumph, 
he  stood  perched  and  balancing  for  a  moment,  and 
then,  expanding  a  pair  of  curiously-folded  wings,  as 
he  remained  hovering  for  a  few  seconds  more,  he 
suddenly  darted  away  over  the  sea,  and  flew  swiftly 
towards  the  land.  The  secret  was  now  at  once  ex- 
plained —  he  had  flown  into  my  boat.  Yet  a  more 
perfectly  human  creature  than  the  little  fellow 
seemed  could  hardly  be.  His  flesh  was  mottled, 
firm,  and  dimpling,  and  yielded  to  the  pressure  of 
my  fingers  with  the  true  elasticity,  yet  smooth  sur- 
face, which  distinguishes  the  limbs  of  childhood. 

' '  By  this  time  I  had  arrived  close  to  the  shore,  and 
as  I  prepared  to  land,  I  perceived  a  young  woman 
standing  near  the  water's  edge,  holding  a  child  in 
her  arms,  which  I  soon  discovered  to  be  no  other 
than  my  winged  visitant.  I  stepped  out  of  the  boat, 
and  approached  them,  when  I  observed  my  little 
.  friend  stretch  forth  his  hands  towards  me,  and  in 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  59 

another  moment  he  sprung  out  of  his  mother's  arms, 
and,  flying  towards  me,  fluttered  against  my  breast, 
till  I  clasped  him  fondly  to  me.  The  woman  uttered 
a  cry  of  alarm,  and,  springing  after  the  child,  ex- 
claimed, wildly,  '  Felix  !  Felix  !  ' 

"  I  was  much  surprised  to  hear  her  speak  in  Eng- 
lish ;  but,  anxious  to  relieve  her  alarm  as  speedily  as 
possible,  I  said,  cheerfully,  '  Never  fear,  dear  madam ; 
your  boy  is  as  safe  with  me  as  in  your  own  arms  ;  he 
and  I  have  made  acquaintance  before.7 

"  Her  surprise  at  hearing  me  speak  thus  equalled 
my  own ;  but  I  went  on  endeavoring  to  reassure  her, 
in  which  task  I  found  some  difficulty,  for  I  think  I 
never,  in  the  whole  course  of  my  life,  met  with  a 
person  so  little  within  the  control  of  reason  when 
under  the  influence  of  her  fear  or  anxiety. 

"  When  she  had  a  little  recovered  from  her  terror, 
which  I  think  was  rather  from  beholding  how  con- 
tentedly her  boy  nestled  still  with  me  than  from  any 
arguments  of  mine,  she  proposed  our  going  to  her 
habitation,  that  I  might  take  some  repose  and  refresh- 
ment, as  well  as  relate  to  her  by  what  strange  acci- 
dent I  had  found  my  way  thither.  This  made  me 
recollect  the  boat  in  which  I  had  arrived  ;  and  I  looked 
towards  the  sea,  in  the  hope  of  seeing  it  still  near  the 
shore.  In  vain,  however  ;  without  moorings,  without 
fastening  of  any  kind,  it  had  drifted  away  with  the 
ebbing  tide,  and  I  descried  it  in  the  distance  lightly 
dancing  to  and  fro  on  the  waves,  as  I  had  first  beheld 
it  in  the  morning  ;  but  now  each  moment  receding 
still  further  amid  the  world  of  waters,  until  it  was 
entirely  lost  to  view. 


60  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

"  I  turned  with  a  half  sigh  to  my  guide,  as  she  led 
me  towards  her  habitation,  which  proved  to  be  a  kind 
of  cavity,  naturally  formed  in  the  rock  —  lofty,  spa- 
cious, and  commodious  enough  ;  but  I  soon  ceased 
to  feel  any  regret  as  I  hugged  the  beautiful  child  in 
my  arms,  and  thought  of  all  the  endearing  ways  of 
this  new  little  friend  of  mine. 

"  After  I  had  made  a  hearty  repast  of  some  fruit, 
milk,  and  a  kind  of  cake  or  bread  which  my  hostess 
set  before  me,  I  was  preparing  to  comply  with  the 
request  she  had  previously  made,  that  I  would  tell  her 
how  I  came  to  this  place,  when  she  interrupted  me, 
by  telling  me  that  she  would  hear  my  story  on  the 
morrow,  when  I  should  be  better  recovered  from  my 
fatigue  ;  and  that  she  would  now  show  me  where  I 
could  rest  for  the  night. 

"  '  The  cave  is  so  spacious/  said  she,  with  a  feeble 
smile,  '  that  it  would  afford  many  spare  bedrooms, 
did  we  need  them  for  numerous  visitors  ;  but,  as  it 
is,  you  can  take  your  choice  of  one  of  them,  and  I 
will  arrange  some  skins  in  it  as  well  as  I  can  for  your 
accommodation,  hoping  that  you  will  enjoy  a  com- 
fortable night's  rest/ 

"  Her  manner  was  quiet,  and  marked  by  a  sort  of 
apathetic  indifference  that  chilled  me,  and  forbade 
the  warm  thanks  that  sprung  to  my  lips,  and  with 
which  I  was  about  to  reply  ;  indeed,  she  looked  like 
one  so  lost  to  outward  objects,  and  to  be  so  wholly 
possessed  by  some  absorbing  inward  sorrow,  that 
all  unnecessary  words  seemed  an  impertinence,  and 
merely  an  intrusion  on  her  melancholy.  For  some 
time  after  she  had  left  me  to  repose  I  was  unable  to 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  61 

sleep,  from  pondering  on  her  singular  manner  and 
evident  misery,  as  well  as  indulging  in  many  con- 
jectures relative  to  her  winged  boy,  arid  the  strange 
histories  which  doubtless  belonged  to  them  both  ;  but 
by  degrees  her  pale  unhappy  face  blended  its  hues 
with  the  rosy  ones  of  her  little  son's  countenance  ; 
the  mother's  woe-stricken  lines  became  confused  with 
the  chubby  rounded  cheeks  of  the  infant ;  my 
thoughts  faded  into  inaction,  and  I  slept  profoundly. 
"  When  I  awoke  the  next  morning  the  sun's  rays 
were  making  their  way  through  the  crevices  of  the 
rock,  and  darting  bright  reproach  into  the  part  of  the 
cavern  where  I  lay ;  for  I  had  fully  intended  being 
up  with  the  earliest  dawn,  in  order  to  assist  my 
hostess  as  much  as  possible  by  forwarding  some  of 
the  household  arrangements  before  she  should  herself 
get  up.  However,  to  the  great  relief  of  my  con- 
science, I  found  that  she  was  not  yet  stirring  ;  for, 
like  many  people  who  give  way  to  an  overwhelming 
grief,  she  had  acquired  a  habit  of  lying  in  bed  —  a 
very  foolish  habit,  by  the  by,  my  dear  young  friends  ; 
for  there  is  an  animating  principle  and  a  strengtherx- 
ing  stimulus  in  the  fresh  morning  air  which  early 
risers  alone  know  how  to  value  properly.  Had  this 
poor  woman  sought  the  healthful  courage  imparted 
by  the  custom  of  early  rising,  she  would  have  per- 
haps been  better  able  to  meet  and  sustain  her  mel- 
ancholy fate.  But  you  will  find,  as  I  proceed  to  tell 
you  all  I  afterwards  learned  of  my  unhappy  hostess, 
•that  this  was  not  the  only  point  in  which  she  dis- 
covered a  want  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  what 
was  best  for  her. 


62  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

"  To  return  to  the  first  morning  of  my  acquaintance 
with  her.  On  issuing  from  the  portion  of  the  cavern 
where  I  had  slept,  I  found,  to  my  joy,  as  I  told  you, 
that  my  hostess  was  not  yet  up.  I  passed  through 
the  principal  space  in  the  cave  where  I  had  supped 
on  the  previous  evening,  which  might  be  called  the 
dining-room ;  and  after  arranging  matters  here  to 
the  best  of  my  power  (for  you  must  know  that  a 
sailor  learns  to  turn  his  hand  to  anything,  and  can 
make  a  bed,  or  sew  on  a  button,  with  any  chamber- 
maid or  workwoman  of  them  all),  I  went  out  into  a 
sort  of  enclosed  space  near  the  cave,  which  was 
surrounded  by  a  neat  paling,  and  where  I  observed  a 
cow  and  two  or  three  goats  grazing,  evidently  ready 
to  be  milked  ;  and  having  provided  myself  with  a 
wooden  vessel  that  lay  near  at  hand,  I  prepared  to  . 
perform  this  office  as  well  as  I  could.  Considering 
that  I  had  never  learned  to  milk  a  cow,  for  my 
father  had  been  far  too  poor  to  keep  one,  I  managed 
pretty  well  on  the  present  occasion  ;  and  I  had  already 
made  good  progress  in  my  work,  having  finished 
with  the  cow,  and  was  beginning  with  one  of  the 
goats,  when  I  heard  a  little  merry  laugh  not  far  from 
me,  and,  looking  up  in  the  direction  whence  the 
sound  proceeded,  I  perceived  the  winged  boy  perched 
on  the  paling  close  by.  When  he  saw  by  my  nod- 
ding and  smiling  that  I  had  discovered  him,  he  flew 
towards  me,  and  settled  on  my  shoulder  ;  and  there 
he  stood  fluttering  and  hovering,  half  on  tip-toe, 
half  held  up  by  his  quivering  spread  wings,  while  he 
tried  to  steady  himself  by  clasping  his  dimpled  arms 
round  my  head.  '  Steady,  Felix !  steady,  boy, 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  63 

steady  ! '  cried  I,  while  he  laughed  and  crowed  with 
delight ;  and  thus  his  mother  found  us  when  she 
came,  soon  after,  to  summon  us  to  breakfast. 

"  She  seemed  reconciled  now  to  the  attachment 
which  had  evidently  sprung  up  between  her  son  and 
me,  and  bore  to  see  him  in  my  arms  with  a  compla- 
cency very  different  from  her  wild  alarm  of  the  pre- 
vious evening.  So  we  returned  to  the  cave  in  very 
sociable  style  ;  the  child  frolicking  about  us,  first 
fluttering  to  his  mother,  and  then  back  to  me  again, 
for  he  could  evidently  fly  much  better  than  he  could 
walk.  But  though  this  poor  woman  made  me  wel- 
come in  the  cave,  and,  in  her  negligent  fashion, 
allowed  me  to  feel  that  my  arrival  at  this  place  was 
nowise  disagreeable  to  her,  yet  it  was  long  before 
her  melancholy  reserve  yielded  to  my  efforts  at  con- 
solation ;  while  my  cheerful  endeavors  to  draw  her 
into  conversation,  and  a  more  comfortable  train  of 
thought  than  the  one  which  habitually  engrossed  her, 
were  for  some  time  met  by  a  chilling  apathy  that 
was  inexpressibly  discouraging.  After  the  first 
morning,  when  she  had  heard  my  history,  and  the 
account  I  gave  of  my  adventure  in  reaching  this 
shore,  she  had  expressed  no  more  curiosity,  and  ap- 
peared to  take  no  further  interest  in  my  presence. 
She  seemed  to  have  made  up  her  mind  that  I  was  a 
nowise  dangerous  associate  for  her  child  ;  and  beyond 
this  she  appeared  to  have  no  thought  about  me,  but 
remained  absorbed  in  moody  grief,  and  wrapt  in 
silence.  The  gayety  and  cheerfulness  natural  to  my 
age  of  course  rendered  me  a  more  acceptable  com- 
panion to  little  Felix  than  his  poor  young  mother, 


.64  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

with  her  pale  face  and  moping  ways,  could  be  to 
him  ;  and,  when  she  wandered  away,  as  was  her  daily 
custom,  to  the  sea-shore,  where  she  would  sit  for 
hours  gazing  fixedly  across  the  wide  ocean,  he  would 
remain  by  my  side,  and  watch  me  while  I  worked,  or 
gambol  with  me  when  I  indulged  him,  after  the  morn- 
ing labor  was  done,  with  a  game  of  play.  Happy  days 
were  those  I  spent  with  this  fascinating  little  being ! 
He  was  so  beautiful,  so  graceful,  so  full  of  joy  and 
innocent  mirth,  and  yet  so  gentle  and  winningly 
affectionate  !  Dear,  charming  Felix  !  How  my  heart 
doted  on  your  bewitching  loveliness  !  And  how  I 
longed  to  make  it  a  means  of  wiling  your  poor  mother 
from  her  useless,  her  pernicious  indulgence  in  her 
hopeless  grief!  At  length,  with  the  courage  inspired 
by  this  thought,  I  would  follow  her  to  the  lonely  seat 
among  the  rocks,  where  she  was  accustomed  to  re- 
main buried  in  her  melancholy  musings  ;  and,  seem- 
ing merely  to  follow  the  lead  of  my  young  companion, 
I  would  induce  him  to  frolic  and  play  his  pretty 
gambols  where  she  might  observe  them,  and  become 
inspired  by  their  cheering  influence.  For  some  time 
this  went  on,  she  scarcely  appearing  to  notice  us  or 
our  romping,  till  I  almost  despaired  of  ever  winning 
her  to  a  smile  or  a  remark  ;  when  one  day  we  were 
returning  to  our  noontide  meal,  after  a  morning  spent 
among  the  rocks,  she  gazing  as  usual  drearily  "and 
silently  over  the  sea,  and  Felix  and  I  having  fairly 
worn  ourselves  out  with  a  violent  romping-bout, 
accompanied  by  roars  of  laughter  ;  he  had  now  fallen 
fast  asleep  in  my  arms  as  I  bore  him  home ;  and  she 
suddenly  spoke  to  me  of  her  own  accord. 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  65 

"  '  You  are  a  kind  youth,  Kit/  she  said,  '  and  have 
been  most  patient  and  good  with  me  and  my  sor- 
rows ;  bearing  with  my  moody  silence,  forbearing  to 
intrude  upon  my  secrets,  and  yet  gently  and  affec- 
tionately seeking  to  relieve  me  from  the  burthen  of 
their  solitary  endurance.  But  it  is  too  late  !  Had  I 
met  with  you  sooner, —  could  I  have  earlier  learnt 
the  lesson  taught  me  by  your  wise  cheerfulness,  and 
imitated  the  wholesome  energy  with  which  you  meet 
your  hardships  by  activity  and  courage,  instead  of 
yielding  to  despondence, —  had  I  not  weakened  my 
powers,  and  exhausted  even  my  spring  of  hope,  by 
supine  lamentation  and  unavailing  regret,  I  might 
have  profited  by  your  friendly  help,  and  have  be- 
lieved that  a  future  was  still  in  store  for  me.  But  it 
is  too  late  ! 7  she  repeated,  with  a  deep  sigh. 

"  '  Why  too  late  ?  7  exclaimed  I,  eagerly.  '  With 
such  a  treasure  in  your  possession  as  this  dear  child, 
—  with  such  a  motive  to  make  life  dear  to  you, — 
with  darling  little  Felix  to  keep  a  brave  heart  for, — 
why  despair  ?  why  talk  of  its  being  too  late  ?  Why 
should  it  be  too  late  ? ' 

"  'I  am  dying/  said  she,  sadly,  but  quietly  ;  '  I  am 
dying,  Kit,  though  your  young,  hopeful  eyes  cannot 
see  it.  I  feel  too  surely  that  my  unhappy  lot,  with 
my  want  of  submission  to  the  Almighty's  decree,  and 
my  unmindfulness  of  the  blessings  he  has  vouchsafed 
to  me  to  relieve  the  misery  of  my  fate,  has  worn 
away  my  existence,  and  as  certainly  brought  my  life 
to  a  close  as  if  I  had  deliberately  drunk  poison.7 

"  I  was  inexpressibly  shocked,  and  could  not  utter 
a  word  in  reply  as  she  paused. 
5 


66  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

"  Presently  she  resumed  :  '  I  should  have  no  right 
to  pain  your  young  heart  by  this  declaration,  had  I 
not  a  hope  of  interesting  your  sympathy,  and  induc- 
ing you  to  promise  aid  and  protection  to  my  poor 
Felix, —  to  my  poor  motherless  boy,  as  I  feel  con- 
vinced he  will  shortly  be.  Alas  !  in  all  probability 
then  entirely  an  orphan.7 

"  This  last  word  seemed  to  excite  her  grief  beyond* 
the  power  of  control,  for  she  burst  into  a  flood  of 
tears,  bitter,  and  frightfully  vehement ;  but,  after  a 
few  minutes,  she  made  a  strong  and  convulsive  effort, 
and,  mastering  her  emotion  with  evident  difficulty, 
she  resumed  :  '  It  is  your  due,  Kit,  that  you  should 
learn  all  the  particulars  of  my  sad  story  ;  you  who 
have  been  so  true  a  friend  to  me,  and  will,  I  hope, 
continue  your  loving  kindness  to  my  boy  hereafter  ; 
you  who  have  so  considerately  respected  my  grief 
hitherto,  and  restrained  all  expression  of  curiosity, 
ought  to  have  nothing  withheld  from  you  ;  therefore, 
by  to-morrow,  I  will  endeavor  to  gain  composure  and 
courage  to  relate  to  you  my  history,  and  by  what 
accident  I  arrived  here.7 

"  The  next  day,  accordingly,  when  we  were  seated 
in  the  usual  nook  among  the  rocks,  with  Felix  play- 
ing at  our  feet,  busily  engaged  in  pouring  out  and 
replacing  the  shining  contents  of  .my  purse,  with 
which  employment  I  had  purposely  provided  him,  to 
occupy  his  attention  during  his  mother's  relation, 
she  began  her  story  as  follows.  —  But/7  said  Kit, 
suddenly  breaking  off,  and  interrupting  himself,  "  I 
fear  it  is  getting  time  for  you  two  to  be  off  home  ;  so 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  6*7 

I  '11  tell  you  what  she  told  me  when  you  come  here 
to-morrow  evening1." 

"  Well,  dear  Kit,  we  '11  go,  then/7  replied  Fanny, 
leaving  the  old  man's  side  reluctantly.  "  Come 
along,  Dick  ;  though  I  do  long  to  hear  the  poor  lady's 
story,  and  more  about  the  little  Felix,  with  his 
curious  wings,  yet  we  must  do  as  Kit  wishes,  or 
'perhaps  he  '11  play  the  tyrant,  and  refuse  to  tell  us 
any  more  of  his  wonderful  stories." 

"  But,  Fanny,  I  must  ask  him  one  question  before 
we  go,"  said  her  brother.  "  I  want  to  know,  Kit, 
whether  the  golden  key  really  did  bring  you  riches, 
and  wealth,  and  power,  and  all  the  grand  things 
mentioned  by  the  vision  ?  Did  you  ever  find  them 
after  opening  the  gates  of  the  rocky  valley,  and  sail- 
ing across  that  bright  sea  ?  " 

11  My  dear  lad,"  answered  the  old  mariner,  thought- 
fully, "  I  have  often  asked  myself  the  same  question. 
And,  in  pondering  over  the  matter,  I  have  come  to 
this  conclusion :  that  the  key  admitted  me  through 
those  ponderous  barriers  from  the  desolate,  sterile 
valley,  and  led  me  to  the  shore  of  that  resplendent 
sea,  which  I  have  always  since  named  the  Ocean  'of 
Imagination ;  for  it  conducted  me  to  the  life  I  had 
always  sighed  for  from  earliest  childhood, —  a  life  of 
adventure,  of  romantic  incident,  and  of  ever-shifting 
scenes  of  beauty  and  entrancing  strangeness,  worth 
more  to  me  than  suniless  heaps  of  treasure,  or  mines 
of  costliest  gems.  I  have  fancied  that  a  hearty  en- 
joyment of  life,  a  power  of  abstracting  my  mind 
from  the  disagreeables  and  hardships  of  travel,  while 
I  dwelt  with  rapture  on  the  ideas  it  conveyed,  and 


68  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

the  keen  sense  of  gratification  with  which  I  was 
able  to  extract  enjoyment  from  all  my  adventures 
under  circumstances  which  might  have  depressed 
arid  discouraged  a  less  ardent  imagination  than  mine, 
was,  in  fact,  the  sumptuous  gift  bestowed  upon  me 
by  the  possession  of  the  key  ;  and  I  do  not  know  but 
that  I  have  had  reason  to  receive  it  with  more  grati- 
tude than  any  other  treasure  whatsoever.77 

The  old  mariner,  at  the  conclusion  of  this  speech, 
bidding  his  young  friends  gravely  and  affectionately 
farewell,  they  sped  away  home. 


*klT    BAM,    MARINER.  69 


CHAPTEE    III. 

CONTINUATION    OP    KIT'S    YARN    OF   THE    LONE    MOTHER   AND   CHILD. 
—  HER   STORY. KALLISAH.  —  FELIX.  —  NEW   ASSOCIATES. 

THE  next  evening,  when  the  two  young  Swallows 
were  comfortably  ensconced  in  the  old  mariner's  cot- 
tage, Dick  snugly  crouching  on  one  side  of  him,  and 
Fanny  hugging  his  other  arm  as  usual,  Kit  thus  re- 
sumed his  yarn,  where  the  lone  mother  was  begin- 
ning to  tell  him  her  story. 

"  '  My  first  misfortunes  began/  she  said,  '  with  the 
loss  of  my  poor  mother,  who  was  sickly  and  weak- 
spirited,  and  unable  to  contend  with  the  grief  of  dis- 
covering that  her  husband  was  an  habitual  drunkard. 
He  had  contrived  to  deceive  her  with  regard  to  this 
defect  in  his  character  until  after  their  marriage  ;  but 
when  once  he  had  gained  his  point  in  inducing  her 
to  become  his  wife,  he  had  relapsed  into  his  usual 
excesses,  and  brought  her  to  an  early  grave  with 
shame  and  regret  before  I  had  reached  the  age  of 
six  years.  My  second  calamity  was  my  father's 
marrying  again,  and  giving  me  for  a  step-mother  a 
hard,  cruel  woman,  who  ill-used  me,  and  made  me 
little  better  than  a  servant  to  her  own  children,  who 
were  born  in  rapid  succession  after  her  union  with 
my  father.  On  this  little  family  I  had  to  wait  from 


tO  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

morning  till  night,  endure  all  their  caprices,  and 
abide  by  their  ill-tempers,  their  mother's  exactions, 
and  my  father's  injustice.  I  sunk  into  a  mere  abject 
drudge,  and  was  so  broken-spirited,  that  when,  at 
the  age  of  eighteen,  I  found  that  I  had  engaged  the 
attention  and  sympathy  of  a  young  midshipman  who 
came  to  lodge  at  the  house  next  door  to  that  in 
which  we  lived,  and  that  he  often  took  occasion  to 
talk  to  me  and  manifest  an  interest  in  my  fate,  I 
could  only  at  first  conclude  that  he  was  jeering  at 
me,  and  mocking  my  suffering  by  a  pretended  kind- 
ness and  solicitude.  Soon,  however,  he  contrived  to 
convince  me  that  his  sympathy  was  sincere,  and  that 
it  had  produced  an  ardent  attachment  for  me,  which 
no  time  could  weaken  or  destroy. 

"  'For  one  who  had  been  from  childhood  the  un- 
ceasing object  of  unkindness;  neglect,  and  cruelty,  to 
inspire  such  an  affection  was  as  the  opening  of  new 
life, —  the  disclosing  of  an  earthly  heaven.  I  yielded 
myself  impetuously  to  this  unexpected  prospect  of 
happiness  ;  and  finding  my  young  lover  impatient  to 
make  me  his  before  his  next  voyage  should  take 
him  away  for  an  indefinite  period,  and,  possibly, 
separate  us  forever,  I  gave  him  my  hand  with  a  joy 
equal  to  his  own  at  receiving  it,  and  became  the 
wife  of  Felix  Morton.  Mere  boy  and  girl  as  we  both 
were  (for  my  husband  was  scarcely  twenty),  we 
stayed  not  to  calculate  the  importance  of  the  step 
we  had  taken,  or  the  consequences  in  which  it  would 
involve  us  :  we  loved  with  all  the  warmth  and  reck- 
less ardor  of  youth  ;  we  married,  and  were  for  a 
time  as  happy  as  mortals  could  desire,  notwithstand- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  71 

ing-  the  threatening  event  which  marked  the  very 
first  day  of  our  clandestine  union.  Too  much  in 
awe  of  my  father  and  tyrannous  step-mother  to  con- 
sult them  in  the  affair,  or  to  dream  of  asking  their 
consent,  we  were  married  privately,  one  morning,  at 
a  neighboring  church  ;  and,  returning  to  our  respect- 
ive homes,  I  learned  by  a  singular  chance,  in  the 
course  of  the  afternoon,  that  my  Felix's  ship  had 
sailing-orders,  and  that  she  was  to  leave  port  that 
very  evening.  In  the  utmost  agitation  I  flew  through 
the  garden  to  my  lover's  lodging  to  learn  the  truth, 
and  found  a  small,  hurried  note,  bidding  me  a  dis- 
tracted adieu,  and  informing  me  of  his  having  been 
compelled  to  obey  his  captain's  orders,  which  were 
to  execute  some  commission  at  a  neighboring  town 
to  our  own,  which  was  a  seaport ;  that  he  should 
thus  be  detained  till  a  late  hour  in  the  evening, — 
indeed,  until  only  within  a  short  hour  of  the  one 
fixed  for  the  ship's  weighing  anchor  ;  and  that  he, 
therefore,  conjured  me  to  meet  him,  if  possible,  on 
the  quay  at  that  hour,  that  he  might  assure  me  of  his 
constant  affection,  his  unshaken  faith,  and  -his  firm 
hope  of  meeting  again  at  some  happier  time,  when 
he  might  claim  his  beloved  bride,  and  make  her  all 
his  own.  I  was  absolutely  stunned  with  this  dread- 
ful news.  The  thought  of  parting  with  my  new- 
made  husband,  whom  I  adored  so  passionately,  was 
worse  than  death  to  me.  This  being,  so  frank  and 
handsome,  so  generous,  so  brave,  yet  so  gentle, — • 
so  animated,  yet  so  tender! — this  being,  who  had 
first  taught  me  the  bliss  of  loving  and  being  loved  ; 
who  had  raised  and  cherished  the  poor,  despised 


72  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

outcast,  and  inspired  her  with  hope  and  self-respect ; 
could  it  be  that  this  being  was  to  be  torn  from  me 
just  as  I  had  learned  to  cling  to  him  as  my  only 
earthly  treasure  ?  Buried  in  grief,  I  returned  to  my 
miserable  home,  and  resumed  my  usual  drudgery,  de- 
vouring my  sobs  and  tears  of  anguish,  and  conceal- 
ing them  as  well  as  I  could  from  observation. 

"  '  Towards  evening,  however,  while  I  was  endeav- 
oring to  devise  some  means  of  stealing  down  to  the 
quay  unperceived,  my  father  called  me  to  him,  and, 
after  making  some  harsh  remark  upon  my  red  eyes 
and  sulky  ways,  he  bade  me  go  and  fetch  him  some 
liquor  from  a  public  house  at  a  tolerable  distance 
from  where  we  lived,  but  which  had  a  name  for  sell- 
ing good  spirits.  I  was  preparing  to  obey  him,  when 
my  step-mother  employed  me  about  something  for 
one  of  the  children,  which  detained  me  so  long  as  to 
exasperate  my  father,  who  was  subject,  like  most 
intemperate  men,  to  fits  of  violent  passion.  He  took 
me  by  the  shoulder,  and,  bestowing  a  hearty  curse 
upon  me,  turned  me  out  of  doors,  bidding  me  begone, 
like  a  good-for-nothing  lazy  slut  as  I  was.  My  heart 
was  almost  broken  with  this  cruelty  of  my  father's, 
coming  in  the  midst  of  the  grief  from  which  I  had 
been  previously  suffering,  and  I  fled  through  the 
darkening  streets  with  a  sort  of  mad  bewilderment. 
'  Begone  ! '  I  exclaimed  wildly,  repeating  my  father's 
words  ;  '  ay,  begone  !  would  I  could  be  gone,  indeed, 
and  return  no  more  to  this  wretched  home,  where  I 
have  never  known  anything  but  injustice  and  ill- 
treatment  !  0  that  I  could  be  gone  —  gone  far  away 
with  my  own  Felix,  my  own  dear  husband  ! '  I  paused 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  73 

for  an  instant,  struck  with  the  recollection  that  this 
must  be  about  the  very  hour  he  had  spoken  of  as 
being  the  one  when  he  had  hoped  to  meet  me  pre- 
vious to  his  departure.  I  hurried  on,  forgetful  of 
aught  but  Felix  and  my  anxiety  to  see  him,  when, 
iust  as  I  was  emerging  from  a  dark,  narrow  street, 
which  led  straight  on  to  the  quay,  close  to  that  part 
where  I  knew  his  vessel  lay,  and  where  the  crew 
were  busy  finishing  her  last  preparations  for  sea,  he 
perceived  me,  and  sprang  forward  to  clasp  me  in  his 
arms,  drawing  me,  as  he  did  so,  within  the  shadow 
of  the  houses  in  the  narrow  street.  Here  he  ear- 
nestly repeated  the  passionate  protestations  of  regret, 
constancy,  and  hope,  which  his  note  had  expressed, 
and  learnt,  in  return,  from  me,  my  deep  affliction,  as 
well  as  the  recent  cause  I  had  to  dread  and  detest 
my  home  more  than  ever. 

"  '  "  This  shall  not,  must  not  be  !  "  exclaimed  he, 
with  a  vehement  burst  of  emotion  ;  "  she  must  not 
return  to  be  trampled  on  and  destroyed  by  her  hate- 
ful relations.  Who  will  protect  her  when  I  am  away  ? 
She  will  sink  and  die  before  I  can  return  to  rescue 
her.  She  must  be  saved,  and  at  once  ! ;? 

"  '  He  paused  for  a  few  seconds  in  deep  thought ; 
and  then,  with  the  energetic  decision  which  marked 
his  character,  strode  a  few  paces  up  the  narrow  street, 
drawing  me  still  with  him,  towards  a  small  shop, 
dimly  lighted  by  a  flaring  tallow  candle,  and  in  which 
they  sold  slop-clothes  and  other  ship's  stores.  Enter- 
ing the  shop,  and  bidding  me  wait  close  outside,  Fe- 
lix purchased  a  suit  of  coarse  dark-blue  clothes,  of  a 
lad's  size,  and,  quickly  returning  to  me,  he  whispered, 


74  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

"There  is  still  time  for  my -project,  Nanny,  if  you 
will  be  a  brave  girl,  and  do  as  I  would  have  you ;  but 
keep  a  stout  heart,  and  lose  not  a  moment/7 

"'I  answered  as  boldly  as  I  could  (for  his  presence 
somehow  always  inspired  me  with  greater  courage 
than  I  could  muster  at  any  other  time)  ;  and  he  then 
proceeded  hurriedly  to  explain  that  he  wished  me  to 
equip  myself  in  the  sailor-boy's  suit  he  had  just 
bought,  and  that  in  this  disguise  he  hoped  I  should 
escape  observation  sufficiently  for  him  to  smuggle 
me  on  board  ship,  and  carry  me  off  with  him.  The 
hope  of  release  from  my  bondage,  but  far  more  the 
thought  of  escape  with  my  beloved  husband,  excited 
me  to  act  with  promptitude  and  resolution  ;  and,  ac- 
cordingly, I  no  sooner  comprehended  his  design,  than 
I  retired  quickly  into  a  deserted  yard  or  wharf  not 
far  from  where  we  stood,  and  there,  behind  some 
broken  casks  and  ship-lumber,  I  effected  an  expedi- 
tious change  of  clothes,  and  returned  to  my  lover,  who 
declared  that  I  now  looked  as  trim  a  little  cabin-boy 
as  he  would  wish  to  see.  It  was  by  this  time  neces- 
sary to  hasten  back  to  the  quay,  and  join  those  going 
on  board.  We  were  just  in  time,  for  a  rough  voice 
calling  out,  "  Now,  then,  where  are  those  lads  !  here, 
you  boys,  look  alive  there  !  "  pushed  me  onwards  with 
a  group  of  young  sailors  who  were  loitering  about, 
and  among  whom  I  had  immediately*  mingled,  on 
reaching  the  spot;  and  thus,  amid  the  bustle  and 
darkness,  I  found  myself  hurried  on  deck,  whence 
Felix  soon  contrived  to  convey  me  below  unnoticed 
by  any  one.  It  was  of  course  not  very  long  that  I 
could  remain  undiscovered  ;  arid  the  presence  of  a 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  75 

cabin-boy  more  than  their  number  was  perceived  by 
the  crew  before  many  days  had  elapsed.  However, 
a  feigned  story  of  my  being  a  runaway  lad,  whom 
love  of  the  sea  had  rendered  a  truant  from  the  home 
of  his  parents,  and  had  induced  him  thus  to  steal  a 
berth,  found  credit  with  the  captain,  who  was  the 
uncle  of  my  Felix,  and  probably  not  unwilling  to 
connive  at  what  he  believed  to  be  a  scapegrace  trick 
of  his  nephew's  to  introduce  a  favorite  comrade  or 
school-fellow  on  board  his  ship.  The  other  officers 
and  sailors  were  always  jealous  of  Felix,  and  of  the 
fancied  favoritism  with  which  his  captain  treated  him 
on  the  score  of  relationship  ;  but  it  was  some  time 
before  I  discovered  this  enmity  on  their  part,  or,  in- 
deed, awoke  to  the  perception  of  anything  but  the 
single,  all-engrossing  fact  of  my  being  with  my  hus- 
band, and  the  constant  object  of  his  love  and  fond  at- 
tention. While  I  was  wrapped  in  this  dream  of  hap- 
piness, I  was  the  most  enviable,  the  most  blest  of 
mortals  ;  but,  alas !  the  time  came  when  I  could  no 
longer  remain  blind  to  the  murmurs  of  discontented 
feeling  and  vindictive  jealousy  that  prevailed  among 
my  Felix's  shipmates  against  him,  and  my  awakening 
from  my  dream  of  bliss  was  as  abrupt  and  alarming 
as  my  previous  repose  had  been  balmy  and  secure. 
The  first  thing  which  startled  me  to  a  sense  of  his 
danger  were  the  rough  taunts  of  one  of  the  subordi- 
nates of  the  crew,  in  reply  to  some  order  which  Felix 
had  given  him  as  midshipman,  and  his  superior  offi- 
cer. The  man  ended  by  muttering,  "  A  pretty  thing, 
indeed,  to  be  ordered  about  by  a  whipper-snapper  of 
a  boy,  who  is  himself  led  in  tow  by  a  petticoat  —  or 


76  THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

what  ought  by  rights  to  be  one,  or  to  wear  one,  it  ?s 
all  the  same  thing/7 

"  '  This  hint  at  the  discovery  of  my  sex  and  dis- 
guise made  me  tremble  for  my  secret,  but  still  more 
for  the  safety  of  rny  husband,  which  I  felt  to  be 
perilled  by  what  might  be  considered  an  act  of  insub- 
ordination if  represented  to  the  captain  malignantly, 
as  the  man's  manner  showed  it  would  be,  if  reported 
at  all. 

"  '  The  next  day  I  had  fatal  confirmation  of  all  my 
worst  fears. 

"'While  sitting  below,  each  moment  expecting 
Felix,  for  he  took  every  opportunity  of  stealing  down 
to  see  me  when  his  duty  would  .permit,  I  heard  loud 
voices,  and  tokens  of  vehement  contention,  on  deck  ; 
and,  creeping  up  the  companion  with  knocking  knees 
and  a  beating  heart,  I  beheld  a  scene  of  confusion 
and  altercation  of  which  I  only  too  surely  and  at 
once  comprehended  the  meaning.  The  sailor  who 
had  so  brutally  taunted  Felix  on  the  previous  day 
stood  forward,  loudly  charging  my  husband  with 
having  secreted  a  woman  on  board,  and  taxing  the 
captain  with  undue  partiality  and  favoritism,  in 
having  connived  at  this  breach  of  discipline  on  the 
part  of  his  nephew.  The  man  was  warmly  supported 
in  his  accusations  by  the  majority  of  the  crew,  and, 
as  the  captain  scarcely  repelled  the  charge,  but  pro- 
ceeded to  rebuke  them  severely  for  their  own  insub- 
ordination and  mutinous  behavior,  in  thus  daring1 
to  dispute  his  justice  and  arraign  his  conduct,  the 
remainder  of  the  men  gradually  fell  from  him,  and 
left  him  standing  side  by  side  with  Felix  alone 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  77 

together.  I. would  have  sprung  forward  to  the  spot 
where  they  stood,  but  I  was  so  hemmed  in  and  im- 
peded, by  the  crowd  of  men  who  now  all  occupied 
the  side  of  the  deck  where  1  was,  that  I  could  not 
force  my  way  through  them. 

"  '  I  should  tell  you  that  we  had  by  this  time  been 
about  six  weeks  or  nearly  two  months  at  sea,  and  we 
were,  at  the  period  I  speak  of,  in  the  offing  of  a  large 
continent,  that  cannot,  I  feel  sure,  be  far  from  where 
we  at  present  are,  and  which  I  have  always  believed 
to  be  just  visible  from  the  point  of  rock  on  which  we 
are  seated.7 

"The  lone  mother  paused,  and  pointed  with  her 
trembling  hand  to  a  dim  speck  just  perceptible  on 
the  horizon,  which  she  believed  to  be  the  land  she 
spoke  of.  Her  pale  face  and  quivering  lips  showed 
what  a  severe  restraint  she  had  been  putting  on  her 
feelings,  in  order  to  narrate  her  sad  tale  collectedly 
and  intelligibly  ;  but  the  effort  evidently  cost  her 
dear,  and  was  made  at  the  expense  of  strength,  and 
even  vitality.  She  resumed,  however : 

"'The  mutiny  once  begun,  it  increased  rapidly, 
and  all  the  long-concealed  wrath  and  jealous  doubts 
of  the  captain  and  his  nephew  flamed  forth  in  open 
rebellion,  and  avowed  threats  of  vengeance,  threats 
which  were  cruelly  and  speedily  fulfilled,  and  carried 
into  fatal  execution.  Finding  all  their  menaces  fail 
in  subduing  Captain  Morton's  inflexible  notions  of 
their  respective  duties,  and  that  they  could  not  make 
him  yield  one  jot  of  his  command,  or  promise  one 
point  of  their  manifold  exactions,  they  suddenly 
agreed  to  end  the  dispute  at  once  by  placing  him 


78  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

and  his  detested  nephew  in  an  open  boat,  cutting 
them  adrift,  and  letting*  them  find  their  way  ashore 
as  they  best  might,  whilst  they  themselves  would 
seize  the  ship  and  command  her  as  they  chose.  On 
hearing  this  horrible  sentence  passed  on  my  beloved 
husband,  I  staggered  and  reeled,  as  if  struck  by  a 
heavy  blow ;  and,  as  I  gasped  forth  a  shriek  for 
mercy,  Felix  heard  me,  and  our  eyes  met  in  one 
mute  expression  of  anguish.  It  was  our  farewell 
look,  as  brief  and  intense  as  our  joys  had  been  ;  I 
never  beheld  my  Felix  more  —  I  fainted. 

"  '  Would  to  Heaven  I  had  never  recovered  from 
that  death-like  swoon,  which,  at  least,  spared  me 
the  sense  of  my  misery/  resumed  the  poor  young 
creature,  after  a  pause  of  emotion  such  as  seemed  to 
deprive  her  of  several  hours,  nay,  days  of  life,  and 
bring  her  nearer  to  the  grave,  as  it  were,  before  my 
eyes  ;  '  but,  when  I  returned  to  consciousness,  I  heard 
remarks  from  the  mutinous  ruffians  around  me  which 
evinced  plainly  their  regret  that,  instead  of  having 
been  left  behind,  a  mere  useless  burden  on  their  hands, 
to  remind  them  of  their  guilt,  I  had  not  been  turned 
adrift  with  my  friends.  How  fervently  I  echoed 
their  regret  in  the  depths  of  my  heart,  you  may  easily 
imagine,  Kit ;  but  I  gave  no  token  of  hearing  or 
seeing  aught  that  passed ;  and,  at  length,  after 
various  proposals  for  getting  rid  of  so  troublesome  a 
witness  of  their  misdeeds,  some  even  going  so  far  as 
to  talk  of  knocking  me  on  the  head  and  pitching  me 
overboard  at  once,  I  heard  them  determine  upon 
putting  me  ashore  on  the  first  land  we  touched  at. 
In  the  course  of  a  few  hours  we  neared  this  place. 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  79 

I  felt  them  lift  me  up  from  the  spot  where  I  lay,  still 
apparently  insensible  ;  and,  so  utterly  devoid  was  I 
of  any  thought  or  care  of  life,  now  I  had  lost  all  that 
'  rendered  it  of  any  value  to  me,  that  not  one  murmur 
of  remonstrance  did  I  utter,  not  one  token  of  anima- 
tion did  I  give  to  prevent  their  consigning  me  to 
this  living  death.  I  remained  in  a  kind  of  dumb 
stupor,  almost  like  a  corpse  in  their  arms,  as  they 
lowered  me  into  a  small  boat  in  which  I  was  rowed 
to  land,  where  they  placed  me  on  a  ledge  of  rock, 
just  beyond  the  sands,  the  boat  then  returning  to 
the  ship,  which  set  sail  again  immediately.  Not  one 
sensation  approaching  to  regret  or  added  horror,  at 
thus  finding  myself  abandoned  on  a  lone  shore  to 
perish,  was  I  conscious  of  feeling.  My  one  great 
grief  had  swallowed  up  and  effaced  all  lesser  and 
merely  personal  considerations.  If  I  felt  anything 
at  all,  it  was  a  kind  of  vague  wonder  (which  I  re- 
member crossed  rny  mind  in  the  strange  way  that 
the  like  trivial  fancies  will  wander  into  one's  brain 
at  such  moments)  that  these  ruffians,  who  could 
cold-bloodedly  doom  me  to  such  a  fate,  should  yet 
lift  me  gently,  and  with  an  almost  cautious  softness, 
as  they  conveyed  me  from  their  vessel  to  the  boat, 
and  from  the  boat  to  the  shore.  But  I  think  there 
is  a  sort  of  natural  and  innate  tenderness  that  in- 
spires every  sailor,  however  rough,  when  he  touches 
a  woman. 

"  '  Heaven  help  me  !  I  surely  needed  tenderness 
then,  or  never  poor  creature  did  in  this  world !  I 
verily  believe  I  should  have  remained  there  without 
moving  a  limb  or  exerting  a  muscle  towards  my  own 


80  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

preservation,  when,  as  I  lay,  I  suddenly  became  con- 
scious of  warm  human  breath  close  to  my  face,  as 
if  some  one  were  leaning  over  to  examine  me  nearly  ; 
and,  as  I  listlessly  opened  my  eyes  (for  nothing 
could  rouse  me  to  any  feeling  half  so  active  as  that 
of  surprise),  I  beheld  a  black  countenance  close  to 
mine,  and  peering  into  it  anxiously  and  wonderingly. 
'"I  closed  my  eyes  again,  with  a  deep  sigh  ;  but 
soon  felt  that  soothing  and  prodigal  attentions  were 
bestowed  upon  me,  and  the  most  earnest  means 
taken  to  restore  me  to  sensation  and  life.  I  felt  my 
head  gently  raised,  and  placed  caressingly  on  the 
bosom  of  a  young  girl,  who  knelt  beside  me,  mur- 
muring words  of  affectionate  soothing,  which,  though 
uttered  in  an  unknown  tongue,  were  in  melodious 
tones.  Her  dark  exterior  concealed  a  heart  glowing 
with  kind  feeling,  and  beneath  her  swart  skin  throbbed 
a  bosom  instinct  with  every  generous  impulse  and 
feminine  softness.  Poor,  meek,  affectionate,  un- 
selfish Kallisah  !  Your  gentle  goodness  arid  foster- 
ing care  were  but  ill  met  and  rewarded  by  my  sullen 
grief  and  despondent  apathy !  When  I  look  back 
now,  with  the  clearer  vision  of  approaching  death,  to 
this  period,  I  feel  how  blamably  ungrateful  and  un- 
mindful I  was  of  the  boon  accorded  to  me  by  a  mer-- 
ciful  Creator,  in  the  shape  of  this  simple  black  girl, 
who  would  have  been  a  comfort  and  support  to  any 
less  ^YJlfully  repining  spirit  than  mine.  As  it  was,  I 
rather  yielded  to  than  accepted  her  cherishing  care  ; 
and  permitted  her  attention  and  hospitality,  instead 
of  receiving  them  with  the  warmth  of  welcome  and 
mutual  affection.  From  that  first  evening,  when, 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  81 

finding  me  alone  and  perishing,  she  restored  me  to 
consciousness,  and  led  me  to  her  cave,  her  conduct 
was  marked  by  one  unceasing  course  of  lavish  solici- 
tude and  prodigal  attachment;  met  on  my  part  —  I 
now  shame  to  feel  and  avow  —  by  unthankful  negli- 
gence, cold  indifference,  and  mere  selfish  indulgence 
in  my  own  sorrow. 

"  '  Day  after  day,  week  after  week,  month  after 
month,  did  I  yield  to  my  absorbing  misery;  and, 
wandering  away  from  her  companionship,  would  sit 
brooding  on  this  rocky  point  in  solitary  despair, 
gazing  over  the  wide  waters,  fixing  my  eyes  on  the 
dim  speck  of  the  horizon  which  I  believed  to  be  the 
land  that  contained  all  I  held  dear  —  my  beloved 
husband,  from  whom  I  had  been  so  rudely  torn,  and 
so  cruelly  and  eternally  separated. 

11 '  Here  would  1  sit  for  hours,  absorbed  in  this  one 
engrossing  idea,  delivering  myself  over  to  voluntary 
gloom  and  despair.  Not  once  did  I  seek  help  and 
courage  from  the  society  of  Kallisah,  or  by  relieving 
her  from  part  of  her  household  duties  give  wholesome 
exertion  to  my  frame,  and,  by  using  the  body,  en- 
deavor to  strengthen  the  mind.  Equally  unmindful 
of  her  feelings,  wounded,  as  they  must  be,  by  my 
cold,  ungrateful  neglect,  as  of  my  own  moral  health, 
I  suffered  myself  to  become  a  mere  inert  lump  of 
uselessness,  and  the  morbid  victim  of  a  diseased 
imagination.  Even  the  conviction  that  I  was  shortly 
to  become  a  mother  had  scarce  power  to  raise  me 
from  my  lethargy,  or  turn  my  thoughts  to  any  sub- 
ject apart  from  the  one  which  filled  my  soul  with  a 
single  yearning  desire,  and  kept  my  straining  eyes 
6 


82  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

fixed  on  that  dimly-seen,  far-away,  coveted  shore. 
Some  lines  that  I  had  once  read  in  an  old  play-book 
often  wandered  into  my  musing  brain,  and  I  would 
frequently  mutter  to  myself, 

"  Like  one  that  stands  upon  a  promontory, 

And  spies  a  far-off  shore  where  he  would  tread, 
Wishing  his  foot  were  equal  with  his  eye  ; 
And  chides  the  sea  that  sunders  him  from  thence, 
Saying  he  '11  lade  it  dry  to  have  his  way. ' ' 

11 '  But,  more  than  all,  more  than  any  hope  of  lading 
the  sea  dry,  did  I  long  for  wings,  for  wings  that  I 
might  skim  the  surface  of  the  waters,  and  clear  the 
space  that  held  me  from  my  Felix.  Had  I  but 
wings !  Then  would  I  soar  over  these  relentless 
waves  that  rolled  in  ceaseless  mockery  of  my  an- 
guish, raising  eternal  barriers  between  me  and  my 
beloved,  and  there  would  I  find  blessed  peace  in  his 
arms.  Had  I  but  the  power  of  flight !  This  was  the 
longing  desire  that  haunted  me,  ever,  and  ever,  and 
ever.  What  wonder,  then,  that,  when  my  baby  was 
born,  he  was  born  with  wings  ?  An  angel-token, 
sent  from  heaven,  of  warning  for  past  misused  facul- 
ties, of  hopeful  strength  for  the  future. 

"  '  The  advent  of  this  cherub,  truthfully  read  and 
rightly  used,  might  have  proved  such  a  token  to  his 
poor  mother  ;  but,  weakly  passive  by  nature,  and 
totally  unskilled  in  mental  discipline,  she  was  re- 
gardless of  the  blessed  influence,  and  remained  blind 
to  the  alleviations  with  which  Heaven  had  balanced 
the  one  great  sorrow  in  her  lot.  But  keenly,  though 
tardily,  awake  as  I  am  to  my  mistaken  existence,  — 
an  existence  consumed  rather  than  spent,  —  I  must 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  83 

not  dwell  upon  my  sad  story  longer  than  necessary, 
Kit.  You  must  have  heard  enough  to  learn  a  seri 
ous  lesson  of  the  folly  and  wickedness  of  allowing  the 
mind  to  dwell  unhealthfully  upon  one  single  thought, 
and  of  permitting  the  imagination  to  become  dis- 
eased, and  to  destructively  prey  upon  the  body.  I 
will  merely  tell  you  the  events  that  succeeded  the 
birth  of  my  boy,  during  which  period  of  pain  and 
suffering  I  was  waited  upon  and  tended,  night  and 
day,  by  my  gentle  Kallisah,  the  tenderest  and  most 
solicitous  of  nurses.  The  whole  time  I  was  thus 
confined  to  the  cave,  she  would  quietly  sit  by  the 
side  of  my  bed,  heaping  up  the  skins  with  which  it 
was  spread,  arranging  them  beneath  my  weary  head, 
and  comfortably  disposing  them  around  my  exhausted 
frame  ;  her  skill  in  herbal  preparations,  and  cooling 
drinks  from  fruit  and  berry,  was  inexhaustible  ;  and 
they  were  administered  to  iny  fevered  lips  with  tones 
of  healing  comfort  and  soothing  encouragement. 
Her  affectionate  nature  inspired  her  with  devices  that 
supplied  the  place  of  experience  and  skill ;  and,  as 
I  gradually  recovered,  she  would,  with  unwearied 
patience  and  inventive  fancy,  beguile  the  passing 
hours  in  relating  her  history  by  means  of  emphatic 
tones  and  expressive  gestures.  I  learned  that  she 
had  been  carried  off  by  a  Slave-ship  from  her  native 
country  ;  that,  in  the  course  of  the  voyage,  a  British 
vessel  had  attacked  the  one  in  which  she  was,  and 
that,  with  the  cruelty  frequently  practised  by  slave- 
ships  under  pursuit,  the  captain  had  thrown  her 
overboard,  with  many  others  of  her  wretched  com- 
panions, into  the  sea,  to  lessen  his  freight  to  the  pre- 


84  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

scribed  number  of  victims,  should  he  be  overtaken 
and  examined.  Young  and  active,  she  had  contrived 
to  swim  on  shore  ;  alone,  however,  for,  whether  taken 
up  by  the  British  ship,  rescued  by  other  means,  or 
drowned  in  the  sea,  she  could  not  tell,  but  not  one 
of  her  unhappy  companions  had  ever  reached  that 
land.  Hardy,  and  from  childhood  accustomed  to 
depend  greatly  on  her  own  exertions  for  obtaining 
the  means  of  existence,  she  readily  found  food  in 
this  fertile  place,  which  abounded  in  fruit  and  vege- 
tables of  various  kinds  ;  the  cave  afforded  her  com- 
modious shelter,  and  the  pursuits  of  her  early  savage 
home  had  taught  her  skill  sufficient  to  add  many 
advantages  to  these  natural  ones  of  mere  food  and 
shelter.  She  fashioned  rude  tools,  which  enabled 
her  to  put  a  paling  round  the  enclosed  space  in 
which  she  kept  her  cows  and  goats  ;  a  well-directed 
missile  from  her  practised  hand,  and  impelled  by  the 
strength  of  her  youthful  arm  (the  vigor  of  which  no 
enervating  habits  of  civilized  life  had  weakened  and 
impaired),  would  frequently  procure  her  the  comfort 
and  luxurious  warmth  of  some  wild  animal's  skin  for 
her  couch  ;  and  thus,  when  my  destiny  threw  me  on 
this  shore,  it  came  that  she  was  so  well  provided 
with  means  for  the  hospitable  welcome  with  which 
her  kind  nature  prompted  her  to  greet  the  poor  wan- 
derer. How  was  it  that  I  could  remain  insensible 
to  so  much  goodness  as  shone  conspicuous  in  the 
gentle  character  of  this  child  of  nature,  enshrined 
though  it  was  in  an  ebon  casket  ?  But  it  was  not 
the  dark  exterior,  it  was  the  mist  of  self-indulgence 
and  uncontrolled  passion,  that  veiled  my  eyes,  and 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  85 

shrouded  the  priceless  gem  from  my  view  !  But  no 
more  of  this !  Suffice  it  that  not  even  her  gentle 
tendance  in  my  time  of  trouble  effected  the  cure  of 
my  mental  blindness.  It  was  decreed  that  by  her 
loss  alone  could  I  be  brought  to  a  sense  of  the  inval- 
uable treasure  I  possessed  in  her,  with  the  conse- 
quent perception  of  my  own  previous  ingratitude, 
and  the  perverse  aid  which  it  had  afforded  Fate  in 
my  martyrdom. 

"  '  One  evening,  not  very  long  before  your  arrival 
here,  Kit,  when  Felix  was  little  more  than  a  twelve- 
month old,  I  returned  to  the  cave  somewhat  -  sur- 
prised that  I  had  not  been  fetched  home  by  the  faith- 
ful Kallisah,  who  used  to  bring  Felix  to  my  rocky 
seat,  and  then  return  with  us  to  the  afternoon  meal, 
which  her  own  activity  and  skill  had  meanwhile  pre- 
pared. I  found  my  boy  alone,  restless,  and  almost 
fretful  at  the  absence  of  his  affectionate  nurse  and 
playfellow,  who  was  nowhere  to  be  seen.  I  com- 
forted the  child,  and,  taking  him  in  my  arms,  we 
sought  through  all  the  recesses  of  the  cave,  through 
all  the  neighboring  nooks  of  the  rock,  in  the  pad- 
dock, everywhere  around,  but  in  vain  —  no  Kallisah ! 
Nor  did  she  come  that  evening,  or  that  night,  through 
the  dark  hours  of  which  I  kept  restless  vigil,  listen- 
ing vainly  for  her  approaching  steps,  and  striving 
to  still  the  moaning  and  plaintive  wail  of  my  little 
Felix,  who  was  uneasy  at  missing  his  kind  and  lov- 
ing friend. 

"  '  Next  morning,  as  soon  as  the  sun  had  risen, 
taking  my  child  in  my  arms  (for  he  had  now  fallen 
into  a  heavy  slumber,  in  which  I  dared  not  leave 


86  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

him,  lest  he  should  wake  in  my  absence),  I  set  forth 
in  quest  of  my  faithful  companion,  dreading  some 
fatal  accident  had  befallen  her,  as  nothing  else,  I 
felt,  would  have  prevented  her  returning  to  us  be- 
fore. My  fears  were  too  speedily  verified.  I  had 
not  proceeded  many  hundred  paces  into  the  little 
wood  which  skirts  the  grassy  plains  adjoining  the 
cave,  before  I  beheld  my  poor  Kallisah  stretched 
beneath  the  trees,  a  disfigured,  lifeless  corse  !  Her 
dark  skin  prevented  the  appearance  of  any  discolor- 
ing marks  of  tfie  poison,  but  the  swollen  flesh,  the 
starting  eye-balls,  the  distorted  mouth,  told  but  too 
plainly  the  secret  of  her  death,  and  gave  distinct 
evidence  of  her  having  been  attacked  by  a  serpent, 
and  mortally  wounded  by  its  deadly  fang.  The 
thought  of  sparing  my  child  from  the  horror  of  this 
ghastly  spectacle  gave  me  strength  to  dig  a  hasty 
shallow  grave  in  the  soil,  which  was  fortunately  of  a 
light  and  crumbling  nature  ;  and  with  the  help  of 
boughs  and  leaves  I  succeeded  in  concealing  the 
body  of  my  hapless  friend,  and  affording  it  the  re- 
spect of  a  slight  though  bowery  tomb  ;  so  that,  by 
the  time  Felix  awoke,  I  had  not  only  conveyed  him 
from  the  spot,  but  had  saved  him  from  any  risk  of 
encountering  so  sad  an  object,  in  case  his  wings 
should  by  chance  convey  him  to  this  neighborhood. 
For  I  should  tell  you  that  his  power  of  flight  had 
preceded  the  ability  to  run  alone,  which  generally 
begins  to  manifest  itself,  I  believe,  in  children  of 
about  his  age  ;  and  I  often  dreaded  that  this  gift  of 
winged  strength  in  my  boy  might  prove  a  source  of 
anxiety  to  me,  lest  he  should  wander  beyond  my 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  87 

care,  and  inflict  upon  me  the  pang  of  losing  a  second 
Felix.  However,  he  has  never  hitherto  been  able  to 
effect  any  long  flight,  arid  I  suppose  it  was  in  at- 
tempting one  of  greater  distance  than  usual,  in  the 
direction  of  the  sea,  that,  caused  him  to  seek  rest 
and  protection  in  your  boat  when  you  were  approach- 
ing this  shore.  If  a  mother's  judgment  may  be 
trusted  on  such  a  point,  his  wings  are  an  additional 
charm  to  the  many  beauties  that  render  him  one  of 
the  loveliest  and  most  interesting  beings  that  ever 
breathed ;  and  his  affectionate  loving  nature  shows 
itself  in  every  infantine  caress  and  tender  fondling 
which  he  lavishes  on  his  poor  mother,  as  well  as  in 
the  constancy  with  which  he  long  pined  after  his 
faithful  nurse,  the  lost  Kallisah !  But  it  is  this 
singular  beauty  of  his,  both  in  frame  and  nature, 
that  makes  me  surpassingly  anxious  with  respect  to 
his  future  fate,  and  bids  me  secure  your  friendship 
and  protection  for  my  orphan  child.7 

"  The  lone  mother  fixed  her  eyes  wistfully  on  mine 
as  she  paused,  and  after  I  had,  in  a  few  warm  and 
fervent  words,  assured  her  that  my  affection  for  the 
interesting  little  creature  equalled,  if  possible,  her 
own,  and  that  nothing  should  henceforth  part  me 
from  him  while  we  both  lived,  she  pressed  my  hand, 
and  concluded  her  story  in  the  following  words  : 

"  'For  my  own  part,  I  shared  the  regret  of  my 
little  one  for  the  loss  of  Kallisah,  and  mourned  for 
her  as*  perseveringly  as  he  did ;  but  her  death  first 
opened  my  eyes  to  the  error  of  my  past  conduct,  and 
awakened  fears  for  the  future.  Should  my  child  be 
deprived  of  my  care,  as  he  had  been  of  hers,  by  any 


88  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

adverse  and  unforeseen  accident,  what  was  to  become 
of  him  ?  These  thoughts,  and  many  other  associated 
reflections,  now  shared  my  lonely  musings  with  the 
one  theme  which  had  formerly  been  their  only  object ; 
for  so  inveterate  a  thing  is,  a  habit  of  revery,  and  an 
indulgence  in  solitude,  that  I  still  wandered  daily  to 
my  rocky  seat,  and  pursued  my  usual  contemplation 
of  the  wide  and  ever-restless  sea. .  In  this  state  of 
awakened  conscience  and  motherly  solicitude  you 
found  me,  Kit,  on  your  arrival ;  and  I  had  not  known 
you  long,  before  your  frank  nature,  your  generous 
anxiety  to  win  me  from  my  sorrows,  and,  above  all, 
your  evident  attachment  to  my  boy,  led  me  to  con- 
fide in  you,  and  place  all  my  hope  for  my  boy's 
future  welfare  in  your  promise  to  adopt  him.  This 
hope  is  now  realized  by  your  assurances,  in  which  I 
have  full  faith  ;  and  I  have  nothing  now  left  to  wish 
for,  but  that  I  may  be  speedily  called  to  meet  my 
beloved  husband  in  a  happier  and  a  better  world/ 

"  The  poor  young  mother  rose  as  she  finished 
speaking  ;  for  the  sun  was  declining  from  the  merid- 
ian, and  Felix  began  to  show  symptoms  of  hungry 
anxiety  to  return  to  the  cave,  that  he  might  have  his 
dinner,  which  had  been  delayed  somewhat  beyond 
his  usual  hour  by  the  long  narrative  his  mother  had 
been  giving  me. 

"  She  was  greatly  exhausted,  and  did  not  rally  at 
all  after  our  meal ;  so  that,  when  I  took  leave  of  her 
for  the  night,  my  fears  were  joined  to  her  own  con- 
victions that  she  was  not  destined  long  to  remain  on 
this  earth,  and  they  kept  me  some  time  awake  in 
sorrowing  sympathy  for  her  fate.  Just  as  I  was 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  89 

sinking  into  a  feverish  slumber,  however,  I  thought 
I  heard  a  stifled  groan,  followed  by  a  feeble  cry.  I 
started  up,  and  listened  intently,  as  I  hurried  on 
some  clothing,  and  prepared  to  hasten  forth.  As  I 
listened,  the  cry  was  repeated,  and  I  was  not  long  in 
finding  my  way  through  the  labyrinths  of  the  cave 
towards  the  space  occupied  by  my  hostess  as  her 
own  sleeping  apartment.  It  was  near  the  outer 
part  of  the  cavern  ;  and,  through  some  fissures  and 
chasms  of  the  rock,  the  light  of  a  southern  moon 
streamed  in  rays  of  softened  splendor,  and  revealed 
to  me  a  scene  which  will  never  be  effaced  from  my 
memory.  The  poor  young  mother  lay  lifeless  on  her 
couch,  while  her  child  had  crawled  along  the  bed 
towards  her  on  his  hands  and  knees,  and  was  hang- 
ing over  her  in  all  the  terror  and  grief  of  finding  her 
insensible  to  his  cries  and  inarticulate  entreaties. 
As  he  knelt  there  in  the  moonlight,  looking  at  her 
motionless  form,  with  his  bent  head,  his  drooping 
wings,  and  his  little  clasped  hands  extended  towards 
the  object  of  his  infantine  grief,  they  looked  like  a 
marble  group  of  Death,  mourned  by  Seraph  Inno- 
cence. But  I  recovered  from  the  spell  by  which  I 
was  held  for  a  moment,  in  contemplation  of  this 
touching  picture,  and  soon  rallied  all  my  courage  to 
soothe  and  comfort  my  baby  friend  ;  and  it  was  not 
very  long  before  I  succeeded  in  wiling  him  from  the 
side  of  his  dead  mother.  But,  though  he  was  gentle, 
and  yielded  quietly  to  all  my  efforts  to  beguile  his 
grief,  I  could  perceive  that  he  had  not  the  usual 
facile  spirits  of  childhood.  He  dwelt,  with  a  per- 
tinacity foreign  to  his  age,  on  the  idea  of  his  depart- 


90  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

ed  mother,  and  the  remembrance  of  her  pale  face 
haunted  his  young  imagination.  He  drooped  vis- 
ibly ;  and  even  after  she  had  been  removed  (for  I 
had  taken  the  opportunity,  one  night  when  he  was  in 
a  profound  sleep,  to  pay  her  the  last  sad  duties  of 
interment)  he  would  seek  her  still  with  wistful  eyes, . 
and  evidently  missed  her  in  her  accustomed  seat  and 
wonted  places.  I  had  buried  her  in  a  grassy  spot  of 
earth  close  to  the  nook  among  the  rocks  where  she 
had  spent  so  many  lonely  hours,  and  had  pleased 
myself  with  the  thought  that  it  was  in  all  probability 
the  very  spot  she  would  herself  have  best  approved. 
Hither  her  little  son  would  now  frequently  draw  me, 
as  if  aware  of  the  vicinity  where  his  mother  lay  ;  but 
it  was  in  all  probability  from  a  fond  clinging  to  the 
place  where  he  had  so  frequently  beheld  her,  —  on 
the  rocky  seat,  commanding  a  view  of  the  sea. 

"  He  and  I  were  sitting  here,  one  day,  he  fluttering 
to  and  fro,  taking  short  circling  flights  over  the  sea, 
and  skimming  lightly  just  above  the  surface  of  the 
waves,  while  I  flattered  myself  with  the  pleasing 
hope  of  his  reviving  health  and  spirits,  when  sud- 
denly I  heard  voices  at  a  little  distance  ;  and,  on 
listening  attentively,  I  heard  them  again,  and  be- 
came more  and  more  convinced  that  they  were 
human  tones,  and  proceeded  from  that  part  of  the 
sea-shore  beyond  the  rocks  which  lay  between  it  and 
the  spot  where  I  had  landed.  I  placed  Felix  softly 
on  the  rocky  seat,  and,  charging  him  to  remain  there 
till  I  came  back,  I  hastened  in  the  direction  whence 
I  had  heard  the  voices.  On  arriving  at  the  sea- 
shore, which  formed  a  sort  of  miniature  bay  on  the 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  91 

coast,  I  perceived  a  party  of  sailors  who  had  just 
landed  from  a  boat  that  lay  to,  and  who  were  in  evi- 
dent quest  of  fresh  water.  I  went  towards  them, 
and  offered  my  services  to  lead  them  to  a  spring 
which  welled  forth  its  delicious  waters  near  to  the 
cave  which  formed  my  habitation,  as  I  could  then 
provide  them  with  rest,  shelter,  and  food,  with  a 
draught  of  milk  in  addition  to  the  water  they  sought, 
and  which  I  knew  would  prove  welcome  refreshment 
to  seafaring  men.  They  accepted  my  proposal  with 
the  same  frankness  with  which  it  was  made,  and  we 
returned  in  the  direction  I  had  come.  This  led  across 
the  rocks,  as  I  have  said,  towards  the  spot  where  I 
myself  had  originally  landed,  and  then  to  the  cave 
itself  close  by.  As  we  crossed  the  rocky  pass,  I 
looked  eagerly  for  Felix,  arid  approached  the  seat 
where  I  had  left  him,  a  few  paces  in  advance  of  the 
party.  An  instant  after,  I  heard  the  report  of  a  gun 
close  behind  me,  and  the  words,  '  By  Jove  !  I  saw  a 
curious  large  bird  fly  up  !  I  '11  have  him  ! ?  I  sprang 
forward  just  in  time  to  catch  my  little  Felix  in  my 
arms  as  he  sunk  bleeding  on  the  grassy  mound  which 
covered  the  remains  of  his  poor  mother.  An  affec- 
tionate look,  a  fluttering  sigh,  an  expiring  breath, 
and  the  gentle  spirit  of  this  angel  child  had  fled  to 
its  kindred  heaven,  leaving  his  mortal  frame  in  my 
embrace,  inanimate  and  motionless,  winged  though 
it  was  ! 

"  The  whole  seemed  like  a  dream,  so  quickly  had 
it  all  passed.  But,  alas  !  it  was  too  fatally  true,  and 
]  had  indeed  lost  the  lovely  cherub  who  had  twined 
himself  s/>  closely  about  my  heart,  and  engaged  so 


92  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OP 

powerfully  my  best  affections.  But  a  few  moment? 
since  instinct  with  life  and  beauty,  and  now  dead  — 
gone  forever ! 

"  The  sailors,  awed  by  the  accident  which  their 
heedless  love  of  sport  had  occasioned,  tendered  me 
their  rough  but  honest  sympathy.  Aided  by  them, 
we  soon  dug  a  grave  for  my  poor  lost  Felix,  and  he 
was  laid  gently  and  reverently  by  the  side  of  his 
dead  mother  in  her  grave  ;  arid,  when  they  were 
covered  with  the  grassy  sod  again,  and  hidden  for- 
ever from  my  view,  my  manhood  failed  me,  and  I 
wept  bitter  tears.  I  turned  from  the  spot  hallowed 
by  so  many  mournful  recollections.  I  was  followed 
by  the  party  of  strangers ;  and  the  cares  of  hospi- 
tality in  which  their  presence  necessarily  involved 
me  did  the  usual  part  of  unselfish  exertion  in  form- 
ing a  distraction  for  my  thoughts,  and  aiding  me  to 
throw  oif  my  load  of  sorrow  for  a  time.  It  was 
agreed  among  my  guests  that  they  should  spend  a 
night  on  land  with  me  ;  and  that  on  the  next  day 
we  should  all  set  sail,  they  taking  me  away  in  their 
company,  as  the  thought  of  remaining  in  this  place 
was  now  become  insupportable,  bereft  as  I  was  of  all 
that  endeared  it  to  me.  But  when  night  came,  and  I 
was  left  alone,  after  having  seen  to  the  accommoda- 
tion of  all  the  party,  the  weight  of  my  grief  returned 
upon  me  again.  I  resolutely  struggled  against  its 
oppressive  ascendency,  and  endeavored  to  soothe 
myself  with  the  reflection  that  my  little  Felix  was 
now  at  rest  with  his  mother,  who  had  loved  him  so 
well ;  and  that  he  was  thus  secured  against  the  pos- 
sible evils  that  might  have  attended  his  future  fate. 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  93 

Singularly  gifted  as  he  was,  might  not  his  mother's 
fears  have  predicted  truly  that  he  was  unfitted  for  an 
existence  among  the  common  run  of  human  beings  ? 
And,  as  it  was  more  than  probable  that  my  thirst  for 
adventure  and  active  life  would  lead  me  to  quit  this 
solitary  shore,  should  I  not  then  have  exposed  him 
to  the  risk  of  mingling  with  an  uncongenial  race  ? 
Somewhat  consoled  with  these  thoughts,  I  yielded 
to  their  composing  influence,  and  slept. 

"  A  solemn  apparition  visited  my  slumbers,  and 
inspired  gracious  comfort  and  elevating  trust.  Me- 
thought  I  beheld  the  moonlit  group  of  mother  and 
child,  as  I  had  witnessed  it  in  the  cavern,  on  the 
night  of  her  death  ;  but,  in  my  present  dream,  her 
marble  countenance  beamed  with  a  heavenly  joy, 
and  her  young  boy's  face  reflected  the  hopeful  smile 
which  irradiated  hers.  The  scene  faded,  and  was  re- 
placed by  the  outlines  of  the  seat  among  the  rocks, 
with  the  adjacent  grassy  mound  that  enclosed  the 
remains  of  the  lone  mother  and  child  ;  but,  as  I 
gazed,  and  the  traces  of  the  well-known  spot  as- 
sumed distinctness,  I  beheld  my  sweet  Felix  in  his 
mother's  arms,  their  countenances  still  wreathed  in 
smiles  ;  while  close  beside  them  stood  a  youthful, 
manly  form,  which  I  knew,  me  thought,  at  once,  for 
that  of  Felix  Morton,  the  long-mourned  husband. 
The  figure  pointed  proudly  and  fondly  to  his  wife 
and  child,  and  bent  his  eyes  with  benignant  approval 
upon  myself; — then,  while  the  group  turned  eyes  of 
loving  gratitude  towards  me  in  tender  farewell,  they 
expanded  their  wings  (with  which  the  parents  were 
now  furnished  in  common  with  their  seraph  child), 


94  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

and  all  throe  floated  gently  away  through  the  air 
across  the  sea,  and,  soaring,  were  soon  lost  to  view 
amid  the  realms  of  light  beyond  the  sky. 

"  Next  morning,  invigorated  and  consoled  by  this 
beatific  vision,  I  arose  with  new  strength  and  spirits 
for  my  reentrance  into  the  world,  and  its  various 
duties  and  pursuits  ;  and  I  prepared  to  set  forth  with 
my  new  associates  in  quest  of  fresh  adventures.  I 
had  not  joined  them  long,  however,  before  I  found 
they  were  not  companions  greatly  to  my  taste.  The 
crew  were  not  exactly  bad  men,  but  they  were  self- 
ish, addicted  to  low  tastes,  coarse  almost  to  brutality, 
and  ignorant ;  which  last  word,  perhaps,  accounts  for 
all  their  other  characteristics.  The  captain  was  vain, 
capricious,  weak  to  a  fault,  and  a  glutton  ;  and  the 
mate,  who  had  headed  the  party  that  landed  for  fresh 
water  on  the  shore  where  I  had  lately  sojourned,  was 
a  hard,  wiry  man,  with  thin  white  lips,  and  eyes  that 
never  looked  any  one  directly  in  the  face  who  chanced 
to  address  him  suddenly. 

11  Let  me  own  that  I  early  felt  a  prejudice  against 
this  man,  when  I  learned  that  he  was  the  person  who 
had  fired  the  unlucky  shot  which  destroyed  my  little 
Felix.  But,  as  I  was  conscious  of  my  prejudice,  I 
endeavored  not  to  let  it  sway  me  unfairly,  knowing 
that  the  accident  was  unintentional ;  and  that,  there- 
fore, neither  this,  nor  the  man's  mere  looks,  ought  to 
warrant  my  entertaining  an  actual  dislike  towards 
him,  until  I  found  more  substantial  reasons  in  his 
conduct  and  actions. 

"  Instead  of  the  books,  and  intelligent  conversa- 
tion, that  formed  the  chief  delights  of  my  earliest 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  95 

friends,  the  shipmates  of  my  first  voyage,  these  pres- 
ent associates  took  pleasure  i»  games  of  hazard, 
betting,  etc.,  and  their  usual  consequences  followed 
—  idle  habits,  frequent  bickerings,  coarse  language, 
with  mutual  ill-will  and  mistrust  of  each  other.  I 
would  not  condemn  the  use  of  harmless  pastime  for 
sailors,  or  banish  amusement  from  among  them  ;  far 
from  it.  But  let  them,  if  they  are  wise,  choose 
games  of  skill  rather  than  of  chance,  and  abjure  all 
betting  and  laying  of  wagers,  as  breeders  of  discord 
and  vice.  I  did  all  I  could  to  dissuade  my  new 
acquaintances  from  continuing  their  practice,  by  en- 
deavoring to  introduce  what  I  believed  to  be  more 
attractive,  as  well  as  higher  pursuits  ;  but  I  soon 
discovered  that  it  merely  caused  me  to  be  looked 
upon  as  a  troublesome  meddler,  and  I  accordingly 
contented  myself  with  declining  to  join  their  favorite 
kind  of  sports,  while  I  bore,  as  well  as  I  could,  their 
taunting  hints  of  my  being  '  a  conceited  young  prig, 
and  a  miserly  youngster,  who  wanted  to  save  his 
money.7  The  faculty  of  bearing  taunts  good-humor- 
edly  I  have  always  found  to  be  an  excellent  means 
of  disarming  malice,  as  well  as  a  good  sort  of  disci- 
pline for  one's  own  temper.  I  would  have  all  youths 
cultivate  it  in  their  outset  of  life,  my  dear  Dick,  and 
also  the  power  of  steadily,  as  well  as  good-humor- 
edly,  saying  'No/  when  asked  to  join  in  a  pursuit 
you  think  dishonorable,  or  even  frivolous.  This  is  a 
power  especially  valuable  on  board  a  ship, — which  is 
a  sort  of  world  in  miniature,  —  where  you  have  to 
create  a  character  for  yourself  among  your  asso- 


96  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

ciates,  and  to  teach  them  to  esteem  and  respect  as 
well  as  like  you.       » 

"  To  return  to  the  crew,  of  which  I  at  this  time 
formed  one  :  They  continued  their  mode  of  recrea- 
tion, in  which  they  were  unchecked,  as  unobserved, 
by  their  captain,  who  found  his  own  peculiar  diver 
sion  in  dressing  himself,  contemplating  himself  when 
dressed,  and  pampering  his  appetite  to  the  utmost  of 
the  limited  extent  within  his  power — a  seafaring  life 
not  affording  many  opportunities  of  epicurean  indul- 
gence. All  these  employments,  of  course,  occupied 
a  great  deal  of  his  time,  and  prevented  his  having 
much  leisure  for  making  himself  acquainted  with  the 
pursuits  of  his  men  during  their  hours  of  relaxation, 
or  for  endeavoring  profitably  to  direct  their  tastes 
and  amusements. 

"  One  day,  — but  I  declare/ '  said  Kit,  interrupting 
himself  "it  is  getting  late,  so  we  must  break  oft*  our 
yarn  for  this  evening.  Good-night,  my  dear  young 
friends. " 

"  I  'm  so  sorry  we  must  go  !  "  said  Fanny.  "  I  'm 
always  fond  of  the  words  '  One  day '  in  a  story, 
and  so  impatient  to  listen  on  ;  because  then  I  know 
there  's  something  new  going  to  happen." 

"  But  you  shall  hear  to-morrow  what  happened 
'  one  day/  my  lass/7  said  the  old  mariner  ;  "  and  so 
once  again,  good-night,  and  be  off  with  you  both, 
without  another  word  !  " 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  97 


CIIAPTEE    IY. 

KIT'S     THIRD     YARN.  A     PEEP     INTO     FABLE-LAND. TITTA,    THE 

ITALIAN    CABIN-BOY  ;    STEVENS,    THE   MATE.  THE   STORM. THE 

DECISION    OF    THE   DICE.  THE   WRECK. 

" '  ONE  day ! '— Well,  Kit,  — 'one  day ! '  "  exclaimed 
both  the  young  Swallows,  as  they  flew  breathlessly 
into  the  old  mariner's  cottage,  early  the  following 
evening,  "now  tell  us  all  about  what  took  place 
'  one  day/  when  you  had  joined  your  new  ship's 
company.7' 

"  Why,  'one  day/  when  I  had  been  among  them 
about  a  fortnight/'  said  Kit,  "  and  had  had  time  to 
make  up  my  mind  a  little  as  to  what  kind  of  chaps 
they  were,  as  I  told  you  last  evening,  we  neared  the 
coast  of  a  country  that  seemed  flourishing  and  beau- 
tiful ;  and  nothing  would  suit  the  captain  but  that 
one  of  the  crew  should  go  ashore  and  fetch  him  some 
game,  and  a  pine-apple  or  two  for  his  table.  The 
men  were  most  of  them  deeply  engaged  in  a  game 
of  loo,  I  think  they  called  it,  and  the  others  were  a,s 
anxiously  interested  about  the  issue  of  some  wager 
or  other  depending  on  a  rat-hunt  down  in  the  hold  of 
the  vessel ;  so  that  I  found  it  would  be  acceptable  to 
all  parties  if  I  offered  to  undertake  the  execution  of 
this  commission  myself.  This  suited  me  exactly; 
for  I  felt  no  objection  to  a  few  hours'  absence  from 
7 


98  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

company  so  little  congenial  to  me,  as  well  as  from 
my  always  being  ready  for  anything  that  promised 
change  and  novelty  of  adventure. 

"  On  landing,  I  found  I  was  in  the  vicinity  of  a 
village,  that  seemed  to  form  one  of  the  suburbs  to  a 
large  town  that  lay  about  a  mile  and  a  half  distant 
from  the  spot  where  I  then  was.  Mindful  of  my 
commission,  I  looked  everywhere  about  for  pines, 
and  pheasants,  or  partridges.  None,  however,  could 
I  spy,  though  I  looked  diligently  around.  Neat  cot- 
tage gardens,  trim  orchards,  paddocks,  and  meadows, 
were  there  on  all  sides,  much  as  in  England,  remind- 
ing me  of  my  own  lovely  native  village  ;  and  then  I 
recollected  that  a  simple  country  hamlet  would  not 
be  so  likely  to  afford  the  delicacies  I  sought,  as  a 
large  town ;  so  in  the  direction  of  the  one  I  perceived 
in  the  distance  I  forthwith  determined  to  proceed. 
As  I  walked  through  the  village,  I  noticed  that  I 
met  not  a  single  human  being,  and  just  as  this  cir- 
cilmstance  struck  me,  happening  to  glance  in  at  a 
cottage  window,  I  beheld  a  comely  tortoise-shell  Cat 
busily  engaged  in  frying  some  veal-cutlets  that  were 
hissing  in  a  pan  on  the  fire.  As  I  watched  her,  I 
was  amused  to  see  the  gravity  and  orderly  manner  in 
which  she  pursued  her  culinary  avocations,  —  press- 
ing the  morsels  now  and  then  gently  with  a  fork,  and 
shifting  them  occasionally  in  the  pan,  that  they 
might  not  burn.  When  they  were  nearly  done  to 
her  satisfaction,  she  drew  off  the  gloves  she  had 
worn  to  preserve  her  hands  from  the  scorching  effects 
of  the  fire  (which  slight  circumstance  told  me  at 
once  that  she  could  be  no  mere  common  cook),  and, 


UHI7BESIT7 


A  SNUG-  DINNER. 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  99 

tying  a  neat  white  apron  on,  she  proceeded  to  lay  the 
cloth  ;  and  then,  drawing  an  arm-chair  to  that  part  of 
the  dinner-table  where  she  had  placed  the  lemon  and 
cayenne  by  the  side  of  a  plate  and  folded  napkin, 
she  quickly  dished  the  cutlets,  and,  placing  them  on 
the  table,  ran  towards  a  side  door  that  led  to  a  small 
parlor,  and  called  to  some  one,  saying,  '  Dinner  7s 
quite  ready,  captain.7  This  was  answered  by  a  voice 
that  said,  '  And  1  'm  quite  ready  for  dinner,  I  can 
assure  you,  Mrs.  Capsicum,  my  darling ! ;  and  then 
in  walked  an  old  Goat  in  faded  regimentals,  with  his 
gouty  legs  swathed  in  flannels.  He  seemed  to  me  to 
be  a  retired  half-pay  officer,  who,  having  been  a  rover 
in  his  youth,  had  settled  down  comfortably  and  soberly 
in  his  old  age  by  marrying  his  housekeeper  ;  who  ap- 
peared, indeed,  to  be  quite  a  domestic  animal,  and  to 
take  excellent  care  of  her  lord  and  master.  I  left 
them  coseyly  seated  opposite  each  other,  enjoying 
their  meal,  just  as  he  had  leaned  across  the  table  to 
chuck  her  under  the  chin,  while  he  tossed  off  a  glass 
of  old  madeira  to  her  good  health,  with  a  playful 
wink. 

"  A  little  further  on,  I  came  to  a  humble  porch 
with  a  low  plank  placed  across  the  door ;  and,  peep- 
ing in,  I  beheld,  ranged  along  the  sanded  floor,  half  a 
dozen  dwarf  benches,  on  which  were  perched  rows  of 
tender  fledglings,  and  almost  callow  nestlings,  whoso 
infant  studies  were  superintended  by  a  grave  old 
Owl,  birch-rod  in  hand,  who  raised  her  spectacled  eyes 
from  the  primer  she  held  in  the  other,  as  she  glanced 
towards  me,  to  discover  what  intruder  darkened  the 
doors  of  her  dame-school. 


100  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

"  In  a  meadow,  just  on  the  outskirts  of  the  village, 
I  saw  a  large  party  of  Grasshoppers  enjoying  a 
hearty  game  of  Cricket ;  and  among  them  I  observed 
a  Bat,  who  flitted  about  to  and  fro,  doing  great  ex- 
ecution, and  taking  a  remarkably  active  part  in  the 
game. 

"  As  I  hastened  on,  and  entered  the  town,  I  over- 
took a  demure-looking  Hen,  a  schoolmistress,  mar- 
shalling her  pretty  Chickens  two  by  two,  as  they 
returned  from  a  rural  walk,  and  gathering  them 
carefully  under  her  protective  wings  at  the  least 
approach  of  danger.  I  saw  her  cast  a  very  anxious 
and  suspicious  glance  at  a  Wolf,  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  way,  walking  arm-in-arm  with  an  innocent 
little  Lamb,  whom  he  was  luring  to  destruction,  by 
leading  her  to  a  milliner's  window,  and  pointing  to  a 
chip  bonnet  trimmed  with  orange-blossoms  and  bridal 
veil,  while  he  induced  her  to  listen  to  his  false  vows. 

"  I  found  I  was  now  in  the  principal  .street  of  the 
town,  for  there  was  plenty  of  bustle  and  some  very 
showy  shops  ;  but  not  one  poulterer's  or  fruiterer's 
could  I  discover,  where  I  could  make  the  purchases 
I  came  for.  As  I  stood  on  the  pavement,  irresolute 
what  I  had  best  do,  a  state  carriage  rolled  by,  in 
which  sat  a  sleek  and  portly  Mare,  whose  gown  and 
chain  sufficiently  bespoke  the  principal  civil  func- 
tionary ;  while,  on  the  seat  opposite  sat  a  lively 
Turtle,  entertaining  his  -friend  with  rich  aldermanic 
jokes  and  fat  unctuous  jests,  on  their  way  to  the 
Hall  of  Justice. 

"  Then  came  by  a  handsome  chariot,  in  which  re- 
clined a  skilful  Leech,  in  a  suit  of  shining  black, 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  10 J 

with  a  neatly-powdered  wig  and  a  gold-headed  cane, 
as  he  drove  towards  the  mansion  of  a  graceful  Swan, 
celebrated  for  her  beauty,  her  stately  mien  and 
aristocratic  airs,  who  was  one  of  his  best  lady-pa- 
tients. 

"  Presently  I  was  jostled,  as  I  stood  on  the  pave- 
ment, by  two  friends  who  passed  arrn-in-arm,  one  of 
whom,  a  great  Boar,  held  the  other  tightly  by  the 
button-hole,  and  insisted  upon  inflicting  an  evidently 
unwelcome  long  story  upon  his  companion,  a  Hog, 
who  remained  as  obstinate  as  a  pig,  and  only  replied 
by  an  occasional  grunt  of  disgust,  declaring  it  made 
him  as  sulky  as  a  bear  to  be  so  badgered. 

"  As  I  had  made  up  my  mind,  by  this  time,  that  I 
would  not  return  to  the  ship  with  my  errand  unac- 
complished, I  determined  to  wait  where  I  was  until 
the  following  morning,  in  hopes  of  better  success  ; 
and,  as  it  was  now  past  five  o'clock,  I  looked  about 
in  search  of  a  hotel  where  1  might  dine  and  secure  a 
bed  for  the  night.  I  perceived  a  respectable-looking 
tavern  at  a  little  distance,  bearing  the  sign  of  the 
1  Hook  ; '  and,  entering,  I  found  in  the  hall  the  land- 
lord, a  grinning  Fox,  who  bowed  to  the  ground  as  he 
assured  me  I  could  have  a  well-aired  bed,  and  that  a 
dinner  should  be  prepared  for  me  immediately.  He 
told  me  he  would  send  a  chambermaid  to  show  me  to 
my  room ;  and,  while  I  awaited  her  coming,  I  per- 
ceived a  Cormorant  in  a  small  private  room  on  one 
side  of  the  passage,  gorging  a  profuse  dinner,  in- 
cluding 'every  delicacy  of  the  season/  all  by  him- 
self ;  and  on  the  opening  of  a  door  opposite  I  ob- 
tained a  view  of  the  commercial  room,  where  two 


102  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

grinning  Spoonbills  and  a  Wagtail  were  enjoying  a 
poor  little  lark  between  them,  and  cutting  up  a  mis- 
erable snipe  that  seemed  roasted  to  rags. 

"  The  chambermaid,  a  brisk,  busy  little  Bee,  now 
approached,  and  flitted  up  stairs  before  me  ;  and  I 
had  not  to  wait  very  long  for  my  dinner,  which  was 
served  by  a  smart  young  Dog  of  a  waiter,  who  fetched 
and  carried  the  several  dishes  to  and  fro  with  great 
fidelity  and  assiduity.  He  appeared  to  be  a  cross 
between  a  terrier  and  a  poodle,  though  the  next 
morning,  when  I  gave  him  my  parting  fee,  he  mani- 
fested tokens  of  being  rather  of  the  spaniel  breed  ; 
for  he  fawned  upon  me  prodigiously,  and  almost  licked 
my  hand.  When  the  third  course  of  the  dinner  was 
served,  however,  he  proved  himself  an  admirable 
pointer,  as  the  game  came  upon  table,  and  through- 
out the  meal  was  a  faithful  and  attentive  guide  to 
the  various  tit-bits,  when  I  was  blind  to  my  own  gas- 
tronomic interests  by  selecting  less  excellent  morsels 
than  his  practised  scent  enabled  him  to  discover  for 
me.  He  showed  great  sagacity  upon  other  points, 
too  ;  for,  during  dessert,  meditating  how  I  should 
pass  the  evening,  I  inquired  of  him  what  amusements 
there  were  in  the  town,  and  what  theatres  were 
open,  when  he  replied,  that,  if  he  were  me,  he  should 
endeavor  to  obtain  a  stall  at  the  opera,  as  there  was 
an  excellent  company  here  now.  He  was  very  elo- 
quent upon  this  subject,  and,  indeed,  appeared  to  be 
quite  a  musical  connoisseur,  and  well  versed  in  all 
the  opera  cabals  and  theatrical  tittle-tattle,  for  he  pro- 
ceeded to  say  :  '  0,  yes,  sir,  you  must  go  this  even- 
ing. The  celebrated  prima  donna,  the  Nightingale, 


•  KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  103 

appears  to-night  in  her  favorite  character  of  Norma. 
There  is  also  an  excellent  tenor  —  a  fine  game-cock  — 
who  is  known  under  the  sobriquet  of  '  Chanticleer.' 
He  certainly  is  first-rate  ;  but  he  has  the  defect  of 
being  a  dreadful  intriguer,  getting  up  all  sorts  of 
shameful  cabals  in  the  theatre  ;  trying  to  make  the 
public  believe  that  the  Nightingale  is  as  hoarse  as  a 
raven,  by  getting  his  friend  the  Puffin,  who  is  the 
editor  of  our  leading  journal,  to  write  all  sorts  of  fibs 
about  her ;  and  he  has  even  been  known  to  send  a 
flock  of  Geese  into  the  pit  on  the  nights  of  her  new 
characters.  The  fact  is,  Chanticleer  is  never  satisfied 
unless  he  has  all  his  own  way  in  the  theatre,  and 
is  made  perfect  cock  of  the  walk.  The  right  of  crow- 
ing over  the  rest  to  this  extent  is  disputed  with  him 
by  the  leader  of  the  band,  a  pert  Sparrow,  who  is 
never  satisfied  unless  he  is  playing  first  fiddle  where- 
ever  he  is.  It  is  rumored/  pursued  my  voluble  in- 
formant, '  that  the  great  Star-fish  is  expected  down 
here  shortly,  to  play  a  round  of  all  his  grandest  tragic 
characters  ;  but,  as  they  propose  giving  him  the  off- 
nights  with  the  Nightingale  (who,  in  my  opinion,  is 
a  perfect  duck),  it  is  expected  that  he  will  decline 
the  offered  engagement.  There  was  a  foolish  Donkey 
who  attempted  to  draw  in  comedy,  about  a  month 
since ;  but  he  only  proved  himself  an  ass,  and  not 
worth  his  salary  of  thistles/  The  impudent  Dog,  my 
waiter,  rattled  off  all  this  theatrical  scandal  and  chit- 
chat with  a  glib  ease  that  took  away  my  breath  ;  but 
he  was  presently  called  away  by  the  chambermaid, 
who  rated  him  for  a  lazy  hound,  an  idle  cur,  a  con- 
temptible mongrel,  and  I  know  not  what  offensive 


104  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

and  discourteous  names  besides.  Not  feeling  much 
inclination  to  go  and  shut  myself  up  in  a  hot  theatre, 
for  it  was  a  lovely  evening  still,  I  strolled  out  for 
another  lounge  through  the  streets,  feeling  sure  of 
meeting  with  plenty  to  amuse  me  till  bed-time. 

"  The  first  thing  I  saw  were  three  or  four  old  Cats, 
with  baskets  and  bags  hanging  on  their  arms  full  of 
worsted-work,  tatting  and  netting,  netting  and  knit- 
ting needles  ;  they  were  evidently  going  out  to  a 
tea-party,  a  dish  of  scandal,  and  a  hand  at  cards.  In 
their  company  there  was  a  younger  one,  a  playful 
little  Puss,  who  frisked  hither  and  thither,  and 
seemed  immensely  to  disconcert  her  aunts,  the  old 
tabbies,  by  her  kittenish  tricks.  Later,  I  noticed  a 
grave  black  Tom,  their  footman,  proceeding  with  a 
lantern,  umbrella,  several  pairs  of  pattens  and  clogs, 
and  a  heap  of  calashes  and  cloaks,  for  his  mistresses, 
to  fetch  them  home  after  their  card-party. 

"  My  attention  was  attracted  to  the  cab  of  an  old 
Lion,  who  was  lolling  back,  driving  easily  and  com- 
placently, with  his  eye-glass  stuck  in  one  eye  ;  on 
the  seat  beside  him  I  perceived  a  roll  of  paper,  so 
that  I  immediately  guessed  he  was  going  out  to  read 
a  new  manuscript  play  to  a  circle  of  admiring  friends. 
At  the  back  of  the  cab  swung  a  spruce  young  Tiger, 
in  white  knee-cords  and  top-boots. 

"  I  sauntered  on  past  a  cigar-shop,  where  I  beheld 
three  or  four  foolish  young  Puppies,  among  whom  I 
distinguished  my  impudent  Dog  of  a  waiter,  smartly 
dressed,  and  smoking  with  the  rest ;  all  evidently 
flattering  themselves  that  they  looked  the  height  of 
fashion,  and  the  supreme  of  gentlemanly  elegance 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  105 

I  also  passed  a  large,  well-lighted  gaming-house,  up 
the  steps  of  which  were  flocking  a  crowd  of  Gulls, 
Eooks,  Pigeons,  and  Geese,  in  company  with  several 
Ponies.  This  was  not  the  only  place  in  the  town 
where  I  met  with  Gulls  ;  on  the  contrary,  they 
seemed  to  abound  in  most  of  the  public  thorough- 
fares. I  noticed  a  group  of  them  in  red  coats,  loiter- 
ing near  a  barrack  or  guard-house,  while  a  few  more, 
in  the  guise  of  country  clowns,  stood  gaping  and 
staring  at  a  Kite,  who  wore  the  cap  and  many- 
colored  floating  ribands  of  a  recruiting-officer. 
Others,  too,  I  observed  peering  earnestly  in  at  a  lot- 
tery-office window,  where  the  prizes  were  displayed 
in  large  figures  ;  and  still  larger  numbers  were  lin- 
gering in  the  doorway  of  a  railway-share  office,  where 
they  were  joined  by  a  herd  of  Stags.  Out  of  one 
of  the  inns  of  court  I  saw  a  Shark  issue  forth  dressed 
like  a  lawyer,  and  followed  by  a  clerkly  Pike,  who 
endeavored  to  satisfy  the  numerous  complaints  of  a 
shoal  of  client  Gudgeons,  who  glided  swiftly  in  their 
wake,  vainly  endeavoring  to  snatch  a  few  crumbs  of 
comfort  about  some  pending  suit. 

"  There  was  a  mischievous  Monkey  goading  and 
worrying  a  slow  Tortoise  and  an  obstinate  Mule  that 
he  had  harnessed  together,  in  order  that  he  might 
grin  and  chatter  at  this  ill-assorted  pair  he  was  try- 
ing to  drive  ;  but  not  one  creature  of  my  own  race 
did  I  perceive  throughout  my  walk  that  evening. 
However,  although  I  met  no  human  inhabitant  in 
this  country,  yet  I  saw  traces  which  indicated  that 
they  were  not  unknown  here  ;  for,  in  one  of  the 
public  squares  of  the  town,  I  saw  some  monuments 


106  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

which  appeared  to  be  raised  in  honor  of  individuals 
of  the  species,  who  seemed  to  be  renowned  in  this 
land.  They  were  marble  statues,  placed  on  pedestals 
which  severally  bore  the  names  of  Phsedrus,  La  Fon- 
taine, Gellert,  Lessing,  arid m Gay;  and  it  could  not 
be  for  the  beauty  of  their  form  that  these  statues 
were  erected,  for  among  them  IP  noticed  one  of  a 
little,  crooked,  hump-backed  fellow,  whose  pedestal 
displayed  the  word  ^Esop. 

11  The  next  morning  I  rose  betimes,  determined 
to  pursue  my  search  for  the  game  and  pine  desired 
by  my  captain  still  more  diligently  than  I  had  done 
on  the  previous  evening ;  and,  despairing  of  meeting 
with  what  I  wanted  in  the  town,  as  it  contained 
neither  t>f  the  shops  that  sold  the  articles  I  wanted, 
I  sallied  forth  into  the  country  again,  only  stopping 
for  five  minutes  to  look  at  a  gay  wedding  party  that 
came  trooping  out  of  a  church  door  as  I  passed.  A 
pair  of  Turtles  came  first  (the  bride  all  of  a  flutter), 
and  were  followed  by  a  circle  of  attendant  Ring-doves, 
their  relations  ;  then  the  happy  couple,  mated  for 
life,  hopped  into  a  travelling  carriage  with  fcur 
horses,  and  set  off  on  their  wedding  tour,  that  they 
might  enjoy  a  short  flight  abroad  before  they  settled 
down  in  their  new  cage,  and  prepared  to  build  a  nest 
for  any  young  ones  with  whom  they  might  hereafter 
be  blest. 

"  I  walked  many  miles  before  I  discovered  what  I 
wanted.  At  last,  about  midday,  to  my  great  joy  I 
approached  a  large  preserve  of  game  belonging  to  a 
fine  estate  ;  and  here  I  doubted  not  1  should  suc- 
ceed, as  I  beheld  some  glorious  pheasants  hanging 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  107 

their  sleek  tails  from  the  branches,  and  flitting  about 
in  great  numbers  among  the  trees.  I  was  just  pre- 
paring to  secure  a  brace,  when  I  recollected  that  I 
had  no  right  to  help  myself  to  these  birds  without 
asking  leave  of  their  owner ;  for,  though  they  were 
wild  creatures  originally,  they  were  evidently  not  so 
here,  but  fed  and  preserved  carefully.  I  walked  on 
towards  the  great  house,  which  I  observed  at  a  little 
distance,  in  the  hope  of  meeting  some  one  who  could 
grant  me  the  permission  I  hoped  to  gain  ;  when,  on 
peeping  over  a  park  paling,  I  beheld  a  gentlemanly 
Bull,  of  prepossessing  appearance,  sauntering  along 
beneath  the  shady  trees  at  an  easy  pace,  with  his 
hands  carelessly  folded  together  behind  his  back, 
beneath  his  coat-tails.  He  was  talking  with  two 
friends  of  his,  neighbors  ;  the  one,  an  Otter,  a  keen 
sportsman,  and  the  other,  a  Beaver,  the  owner  of  a 
fine  estate,  containing  both  land  and  water.  I  found 
out  these  circumstances  by  their  conversation,  as 
well  as  that  the  gentlemanly  Bull  was  a  large  landed 
.  proprietor,  and,  indeed,  master  of  the  house,  the  park, 
the  preserves,  and  the  whole  domain  around  us.  He 
and  his  friends  were  deep  in  talk  about  the  country, 
the  government,  the  rights  of  landlords,  the  game- 
laws,  &c.,  and  I  heard  the  gentlemanly  Bull  say,  'I 
never  have  stood  for  the  county,  and  I  never  wish  to 
be  a  member  of  parliament  —  I  leave  that  for  Rats 
and  Cameleons  ;  but  I  do  say  this,  I  will  have  my 
game  respected,  and  I  never  will  forgive  a  poacher.7 
"  '  Why,  now,  you  know,  Squire  Bull/  replied  the 
Otter,  '  that  your  low  is  always  worse  than  your  gore  ; 
and  as  to  "never  forgiving  a  poacher/'  didn't  you  let 


108          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

that  fellow  off,  the  other  day,  that  was  found  sneaking 
in  your  preserves,  only  because  he  told  some  whining 
excuse  about  his  wife  and  family  starving,  which 
made  you  order  hirn  some  good  broth  for  them,  and 
some  bread  and  cheese  for  himself,  telling  him,  with 
a  pretendedly  gruff  bellow,  that  they  were  far  fit- 
ter food  for  such  as  he  and  his  than  hares  and 
pheasants  ? ; 

"  '  And  when  that  farmer  was  brought  up  before 
your  brother  magistrate/  added  the  Beaver,  '  for 
carrying  a  gun  in  the  shooting  season,  and  the  chap 
talked  some  shuffling  palaver  about  its  being  very 
hard  to  have  his  grain  devoured,  and  his  young  crops 
destroyed,  did  n't  you  burst  out  into  a  loud  roar  that 
startled  the  court,  and  declare  that  the  man  was  in 
the  right  ? ' 

"  The  gentlemanly  Bull  looked  down  and  blushed 
deeply  at  these  retorts  from  his  friends,  whose  charges 
he  could  not  deny,  and,  with  a  bashful  admission  of 
his  weakness,  owned  that  he  did  not  mind  giving  his 
game,  but  that  he  hated  to  have  it  taken. 

"  On  hearing  this,  I  took  courage,  and,  stepping 
lightly  over  the  paling,  I  presented  myself  before 
the  three  country  gentlemen,  and,  making  a  low 
obeisance  to  Squire  Bull,  I  presented  my  captain's 
compliments,  arid  told  him  what  I  sought  in  his 
name. 

"  The  gentlemanly  animal  replied  with  a  benevo- 
lent courtesy  of  manner  that  did  not  belie  his  agree- 
able aspect  and  bland  expression  of  countenance  ; 
for,  desiring  I  would  offer  his  compliments  in  return 
to  my  captain,  he  called  to  a  Hind  who  stood  at  a 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  109 

little  distance,  in  a  countryman's  frock,  and  bid  him 
go  with  me  up  to  the  great  house,  and  see  that  his 
orders  were  executed  with  regard  to  my  having  what 
game  I  chose,  with  a  couple  of  the  finest  fruit  his 
pinery  could  afford  ;  ending  all  with  requesting  me 
to  be  sure  and  drink  a  large  mug  of  home-brewed 
ale  in  his  kitchen  before  I  left  the  premises  Having 
enjoyed  his  good  cheer  with  extra  relish  for  the 
hearty  manner  in  which  it  was  bestowed,  and  having 
drunk  the  gentlemanly  Bull's  health,  with  sincere 
wishes  for  his  continued  prosperity  (of  which  he 
made  such  excellent  use),  and  long  life  to  him,  I 
quitted  the  estate,  and  made  the  best  of  my  way  to 
the  sea-shore,  and  on  board  ship,  delighted  with  my 
trip,  and  pleasant  peep  into  what  I  could  conclude 
to  be  no  other  than  the  far-famed  Fable-Land.  Con- 
trary to  my  expectation,  I  escaped  all  reproach  from 
the  captain  on  the  score  of  my  delay  and  night's 
absence.  He  was  too  well  satisfied  with  my  success 
in  procuring  him  the  desired  delicacies,  to  grudge 
the  time  spent  in  obtaining  them.  The  ship  pro- 
ceeded on  her  voyage,  and  the  only  circumstance 
that  relieved  the  disagreeable  monotony  of  my  exist- 
ence among  people  so  repugnant  to  me  as  her  crew, 
was  a  sort  of  attachment  that  had  sprung  up  between 
myself  and  a  poor  Italian  lad,  called  Titta,  who  had 
been  picked  up  as  an  extra  cabin-boy  at  Genoa,  some 
weeks  since,  when  the  ship  was  short  of  hands. 

"  It  was  a  feeling  of  sympathy  for  his  forlorn 
condition  that  first  awakened  this  attachment  on  my 
part ;  for,  from  his  speaking  a  different  language  from 
themselves,  the  men,  who  were  too  brutal  to  make 


110  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

any  effort  to  understand  or  communicate  with  one  so 
insignificant  in  their  eyes,  either  jeered  at  his  '  foreign 
lingo/  or  neglected  and  despised  him  altogether.  My 
sympathy  was  afterwards  heightened  by  indignation, 
when  I  found  that  Titta  (which  is  the  abbreviation  for 
Battista,  one  of  the  commonest  of  Italian  Christian- 
names)  was  the  constant  object  of  Stevens'  injustice 
and  cruel  tyranny.  This  Stevens  (the  mate,  whom 
I  before  mentioned  as  having  excited  an  early  prej- 
udice in  my  feelings  towards  him,  by  his  ill-looking 
countenance,  and  by  his  having  occasioned  the  death 
of  my  little  Felix)  seemed  to  take  a  malicious  pleas- 
ure in  heaping  insult  and  contumely  of  all  kinds 
upon  young  Titta,  besides  savagely  setting  him  tasks 
beyond  his  strength,  subjecting  him  to  needless 
hardships,  and  exposing  him  to  continued  damp  and 
unduly  protracted  watches. 

"  To  all  these  injuries  from  his  tyrant  would  Titta 
most  frequently  submit  with  patient  resignation,  and 
a  jspirit  of  resolute  endurance  that  might  have  touched 
a  less  vindictive  villain  than  Stevens.  At  other 
times  he  would  suffer  with  an  air  of  dogged  sullen- 
riess  and  dull  obedience  to  the  mate's  commands,  as 
those  of  his  superior  officer,  and,  as  such,  to  be  im- 
plicitly observed,  however  unjust  or  irksome  ;  but 
there  were  moments  when  this  usual  bearing  of  poor 
Titta' s  was  exchanged  for  one  of  haughty  reprisal, 
and  then  the  Italian  lad's  dark  gleaming  eyes  would 
flash  with  proud  disdain,  reproach,  and  even  defiance. 

"  Such  instances,  however,  were  rare,  and  evi- 
dently kept  so  by  the  ceaseless  care  and  constant  ex- 
ertion of  poor  Titta  himself,  who  maintained  a  strong 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  Ill 

guard  upon  his  temper.  He  would  bite  his  lips 
till  the  blood  sprung,  to  repress  the  escape  of  a  bit- 
ter expression.  I  have  seen  him  close  his  eyes  to 
veil  their  bright  flashes,  and  imprison  the  indignant 
tears,  while  his  pale,  sallow  cheek  would  assume  an 
almost  livid  tint  with  the  effort  to  check  the  sobs  that 
swelled  his  heart  to  bursting. 

"One  night  I  had  an  early  watch,  after  which, 
creeping  below  with  the  usual  eagerness  of  a  sailor 
for  sleep,  secure  of  being  '  as  fast  as  a  church  '  within 
two  seconds  of  his  head  touching  his  pillow  after 
turning  into  his  hammock,  I  stumbled  over  a  cabin-boy 
who  lay  stretched  across  some  planks  below  decks, 
and  which  only  just  prevented  his  lying  in  a  pool  of 
water  that  saturated  the  place  just  there.  Perceiving 
it  was  Titta,  I  asked  him  how  he  came  to  sleep  in 
such  a  damp,  unwholesome  spot ;  when,  telling  me  it 
was  appointed  by  Stevens  as  his  usual  berth,  he 
thanked  me,  but  said  he  did  not  much  care  about  it, 
and  only  wished  that  was  the  worst  he  had  to  bear. 

"  This  drew  more  expressions  of  sympathy  from 
me,  with  questions  as  to  what  could  be  the  cause  of 
so  much  ill-will  arid  malice  on  the  part  of  Stevens, 
and  if  Titta  himself  could  assign  any  grounds  for  the 
determined  enmity  he  had  evidently  excited. 

"  '  But  too  well/  replied  the  cabin-boy,  in  a  hoarse 
whisper.  '  I  have  observed  the  kind  feeling  you 
have  for  me  and  my  sufferings,  Kit,  and  have  fre- 
quently desired  an  opportunity  of  thanking  you  for 
it,  and  of  giving  you  my  confidence  in  return.  No 
occasion  has  hitherto  offered  for  speaking  to  you 
unheard,  and  I  do  not  choose  any  one  but  my  friend 


112  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

to  be  acquainted  with  my  sufferings,  and  to  give  me 
their  pity/  continued  the  Italian,  in  a  proud  tone  ;  '  I 
cannot  stoop  to  receive  commiseration  from  such 
men  as  the  rest  of  our  crew  —  but  from  a  kind  heart 
like  yours,  Kit,  it  will  be  a  comfort  and  a  joy  to  me  ; 
so,  if  you  do  not  mind  the  damp,  and  the  darkness, 
and  the  rats,  — I  don't,  they  are  my  bedfellows  too 
often, — you  can  creep  down  here  beside  me,  where 
we  shall  be  sure  not  to  be  overheard.7  He  then  pro- 
ceeded to  tell  me  his  simple  history  ;  how  he  had  lived 
happily  all  his  days  with  his  mother  and  his  pretty 
sister  Peppina,  in  a  little  hut  among  the  hills,  not  far 
from  Genoa  ;  that  they  had  never  known  any  trouble 
but  poverty,  and  had  never  felt  that  as  long  as  they 
could  get  polenta  or  risotto  enough  to  eat,  until  Pep- 
pina had  reached  sixteen  years  of  age,  when  a  young 
goatherd  in  the  neighborhood  fell  in  love  with  her, 
and  she  with  him,  and  that  then  they  all  for  the  first 
time  regretted  they  were  so  poor  as  to  prevent  any 
hopes  of  marriage  for  the  young  couple.  While 
things  were  in  this  state,  and  Titta  was  earnestly  de- 
siring to  hit  upon  some  method  of  making  a  fortune, 
that  he  might  give  it  all  to  his  dear  Peppina  and  her 
lover,  this  ship  had  arrived  in  the  port  of  Genoa,  and, 
the  captain  offering  the  situation  of  cabin-boy  to 
Titta,  he  had  eagerly  closed  with  the  proposal,  as  the 
desired  means  of  obtaining  money  for  his  darling  sis- 
ter. Meanwhile  this  sister  had  been  seen  by  Stevens, 
and  her  beauty  had  made  so  strong  an  impression 
upon  him,  that  he  had  left  no  course  untried  to  pre- 
vail upon  her  to  give  up  the  young  goatherd,  and 
accept  himself  'The  evening  before  we  set  sail/ 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  113 

proceeded  Titta,  and  I  could  hear  the  gasping  agita- 
tion of  his  voice  through  its  whispered  tones,  as  he 
clutched  my  hand  in  his  feverish  grasp,  '  that  evening 
I  overheard  the  villain  endeavoring  to  persuade  my 
Peppina  to  break  her  faith  with  her  young  lover, 
Gianni,  to  leave  our  fond  mother  and  our  humble 
cottage,  and  to  go  far  away  over  the  sea  with  him, 
where  he  would  make  her  a  princess  of  some  beauti- 
ful island,  and  deck  her  in  silks  and  satins,  with 
bright  jewels  and  a  golden  crown.  Peppina  knew 
better  than  to  trust  to  his  white  face  and  black  heart ; 
and  she  told  him  firmly  that  she  would  not  give  up 
those  she  loved  to  be  made  queen  of  the  world.  This 
so  exasperated  him,  that,  muttering  something  about 
knowing  what  was  for  her  good  better  than  she  did, 
and  carrying  her  off  whether  she  would  or  no,  the 
ruffian  was  just  about  to  throw  his  arms  about  her, 
and  lift  her  from  the  spot  by  force,  when  I  stepped 
forward,  and  bid  him  release  my  sister  at  his  peril, 
as  I  had  a  stiletto,  and  knew  how  to  use  it.  He 
flung  her  from  him  with  a  sneer,  muttered  a  deep 
curse,  and,  turning  on  his  heel,  left  us  abruptly, 

"  l  Eager  to  carry  out  my  project  of  earning  money, 
and  thinking  I  was  secure  of  the  captain's  protection 
from  any  ill-usage  on  the  part  of  this  man,  should  he 
hereafter  resent  the  course  I  had  taken  in  this  scene, 
I  hesitated  not  to  fulfil  my  engagement,  by  sailing  in 
the  ship,  as  cabin-boy,  on  the  following  day.  But, 
alas  !  I  knew  not  how  little  reliance  is  to  be  placed 
on  a  weak  master,  too  supinely  devoted  to  his  own 
luxuries  to  care  whether  justice  is  dealt  among  his 
subordinates  ;  or  how  ingenious  in  torture  a  villain 


114  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

can  be,  who  has  to  resent  a  by-gone  injury  inflicted 
on  his  victim  by  himself.  By  insinuation  arid  ex- 
ample, he  contrived  to  inspire  his  shipmates  with 
contempt  and  dislike  of  me  ;  and,  by  careful  manage- 
ment, he  conveyed  enough  of  distrust  and  suspicion 
into  the  mind  of  his  captain,  on  my  account,  to  cause 
him  to  issue  an  order  that  I  should  be  closely 
searched,  and  disarmed  of  my  stiletto.  After  this, 
Stevens  pursued  his  malignant  hatred  towards  me 
with  impunity  ;  and  I,  feeling  myself  in  his  power 
and  totally  defenceless,  ceased  to  contend  with  my 
fate,  and  endeavored  to  submit  without  murmur  to 
what  I  could  not  resist.  I  am  too  proud  to  bewail 
what  I  cannot  repel ;  besides,  I  feel  that  when  I 
look  at  him  indignantly  I  recall  to  him  the  recollec- 
tion of  my  sister,  and  I  would  not  have  even  her 
image  come  near  him,  to  be  sullied  and  polluted  by 
his  contemplation.7 

"  I  could  hear  that  my  companion  ground  his  teeth 
fiercely,  as  he  gave  utterance  to  the  proud  writhings 
of  his  wounded  heart ;  but  he  added,  more  softly  :  '  I 
have  hoarded  up  all  my  scanty  earnings,  Kit,  in  the 
hope  of  one  day  returning  with  them  to  the  hut 
among  the  hills ;  but  I  have  sometimes,  of  late, 
thought  that  I  am  never  destined  to  see  my  loved 
home  more  ;  I  have  a  presentiment  that  I  shall  never 
live  to  return,  and  I  want  you  to  promise  that  the 
task  of  taking  this  hard-earned  money  to  the  mother 
and  sister  —  to  secure  whose  happiness  and  pros- 
perity I  would  encounter  even  worse  suffering  than 
mine  has  been  —  shall  be  yours, —  your  task,  for  the 
sake  of  your  poor  friend  Titta.  You  will  not  refuse 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  115 

me,  Kit  ?  You  will  grant  my  request  —  will  you  not, 
Kit  ?  '  The  poor  lad  uttered  all  this  in  his  broken 
English  (which  I  have  repeated  in  distinct  words, 
that  you  might  the  better  comprehend,  my  dear 
young  friends),  but  with  an  earnestness  of  tone,  and 
a  vehemence  of  gesture,  which  won  my  assurances 
of  interest  and  consent.  At  the  same  time,  I  endeav- 
ored to  dissuade  him  from  entertaining  any  super- 
stitious doubt  of  his  surviving  to  execute  his  own 
wishes  with  regard  to  the  money,  but  told  him  I 
hoped  to  come  to  see  him  in  Italy,  some  day,  when 
he  was  coseyly  settled  at  home,  with  his  mother  and 
sister,  in  the  hut  among  the  hills.  He  only  shook  his 
head  with  a  mournful  smile,  while  he  persisted  in 
showing  me  the  small  sum  which  he  had  secured  in 
the  corner  of  his  neck-handkerchief,  and  of  which  he 
made  me  again  promise  to  take  charge,  and  convey 
as  he  desired,  in  case  I  should  survive  him. 

"  After  I  had  given  him  my  solemn  promise  that 
nothing  should  prevent  my  fulfilling  his  wishes  if  I 
had  life,  we  parted  for  the  night ;  he  with  an  ap- 
pearance of  greater  calm  and  satisfaction  than  I  ever 
witnessed  in  him  before,  and  I  filled  with  compas- 
sion and  sympathy  for  this  hapless  youth.  These 
feelings  caused  me  to  encounter  Stevens,  the  next 
morning,  with  increased  disgust  and  aversion  ;  but 
soon  all  other  thoughts  gave  way  to  anxiety  about 
the  threatened  change  of  weather  ;  for,  towards  the 
afternoon,  there  was  every  appearance  of  a  coming 
storm,  and  all  hands  were  now  aloft  to  prepare  every- 
thing close-reefed  and  trim  against  the  expected  con- 
test with  the  elements.  The  sun  sunk  in  sullen  maj- 


116  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

esty,  surrounded  by  angry,  lowering,  copper-colored 
heaps  and  heavy  masses  of  purple  vapor,  interlaced 
with  green  streaks  ;  whilst  across  the  heavens  swept 
tracks  of  rose-colored  clouds,  sinister  in  their  very 
beauty  of  tint,  and  foretelling  violent  wind.  Night 
closed  in  with  an  awful  calm,  and  a  pause  terrific  in 
its  very  stillness  ;  and  then,  suddenly,  the  tempest 
burst  forth  in  all  its  fury,  and  raged  incessantly  for 
several  hours.  The  billows  rose  mountain  high  on 
every  side  of  us  ;  the  wind  howled,  and  tore  among 
the  shrouds  and  rigging  with  boisterous  force  ;  the 
lightning  darted  its  impetuous  forked  flames  ;  the 
thunder  rolled  its  solemn  deep-toned  wrath  ;  and  in 
the  midst  struggled  our  laboring  vessel,  the  seeming 
victim  of  the  surrounding  elements,  and  the  disputed 
sacrifice  of  fire,  air,  and  water.  The  scene  was  sub- 
lime in  its  awful  peril ;  and,  while  my  eyes  swam, 
and  my  ears  rung  with  the  confusion  of  threatening 
sights  and  sounds  that  stunned  and  bewildered  me, 
yet  I  was  conscious  of  one  added  horror  on  that 
dreadful  night,  apart  from  aught  of  storm  or  tem- 
pest. 

"About  mid-watch  I  was  startled  by  a  piercing 
shriek,  that  thrilled  high  above  the  crash  and  din  of 
the  thunder-peals,  and  penetrated  sharp  athwart  the 
keenest  whistling  of  the  storm-blast,  claiming  atten- 
tion by  its  shrill  appeal  of  human  agony.  I  made  my 
way  in  the  direction  of  the  yell,  but  could  perceive 
nothing  in  the  dense  obscurity  which  then  shrouded- 
every  object.  Suddenly  a  vivid  flash  of  lightning 
revealed  to  me  the  figure  of  Stevens,  standing  alone, 
trembling  from  head  to  foot,  his  face  and  lips  of  a 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  117 

livid  pallor  that  glared  a  ghastly  spot  of  white  in 
the  dark  space  around,  while  his  eyes  seemed  start- 
ing from  their  sockets,  as  they  remained  fixed  on  the 
foaming  waters,  boiling  and  surging  beyond  the 
ship's  stern. 

"  Here  his  gaze  seemed  to  be  riveted,  without  any 
power  of  his  to  withdraw  it ;  for,  after  having  ac- 
costed him,  asking  whether  he  had  called,  if  he  had 
heard  aught,  or  wanted  help,  a  second  flash  again 
gave  him  to  my  view  in  precisely  the  same  attitude, 
while  he  answered  shortly  that  he  had  heard  nothing, 
wanted  nothing,  and  bade  me  roughly  begone  and 
not  stand  there  watching  him,  waving  me  back  with 
his  arm,  at  the  same  time  that  his  head  and  eyes 
maintained  the  same  position,  and  remained  unswerv- 
ingly fixed  in  the  exact  direction  I  had  first  beheld 
them.  I  shrunk  back,  appalled,  for  the  man  looked 
like  one  spell-bound,  and  under  the  influence  of  some 
terror  stronger  than  any  arising  from  the  storm  and 
its  perils.  The  whole  of  that  dreadful  night  I  kept 
fearful  watch,  alternately  contemplating  the  tempest 
and  musing  on  the  strange  trance  of  terror  in  which 
I  had  found  Stevens.  As  morning  dawned  the  tem- 
pest abated,  and  the  captain,  with  some  negligent 
commendation  of  my  exertions  and  active  conduct 
during  the  past  night,  dismissed  me  to  my  hammock, 
where  I  slept  some  hours  profoundly.  When  I 
awoke,  and  rose  to  my  usual  avocations,  I  was  sur- 
prised to  see  Titta  nowhere  about, —  neither  below, 
nor  on  deck,  nor  among  the  shrouds,  nor,  in  short, 
in  any  part  of  the  ship.  I  asked  one  of  the  men  (who 
was  somewhat  less  brutal  than  the  rest)  where  the 


118          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

boy  was  ;  and  he  answered  that  he  feared  he  had 
been  swept  overboard  in  the  storm  during  the  night, 
for  that  none  of  them  had  seen  anything  of  him 
since  the  previous  evening.  '  Poor  lad  !  '  added  the 
fellow,  with  the  remorse  which  too  often  seizes  ob- 
tuse people  only  when  too  late,  '  I  am  sorry  now  I 
evar  jeered  him;  and  made  game  of  his  being  a 
?Talian  —  for  he  could  ri't  help  that,  you  know!  I 
wish  I  hadn't  teased  him,  now  that  he  's  drownded, 
poor  lad  ! 7 

"  That  night,  it  so  happened  that  it  was  this  same 
man's  turn  to  keep  the  mid-watch ;  and,  as  he  was 
ill,  and  I  felt  pleased  with  his  expression  of  regret 
for  poor  Titta,  I  offered  to  serve  the  watch  in  his 
stead. 

"  The  weather  was  now  clear  and  calm  over  head, 
though  the  sea  still  rolled  with  the  heavy  swell  which 
always  continues  some  time  after  the  turbulent  com- 
motion of  a  storm  ;  and,  as  I  gazed  into  the  dark-blue 
canopy  of  heaven,  I  offered  heartfelt  devotion  and 
thanksgiving  for  my  preservation  through  the  late 
tempest. 

"As  my  thoughts  thus  ascended  skyward,  they 
were  recalled  abruptly  by  a  singular  hissing  noise, 
that  sounded  directly  astern.  I  crept  softly  towards 
the  spot,  and  there  beheld  Stevens  in  the  same  rigid 
attitude  of  terror  as  I  had  seen  him  last  njght  about 
the  same  hour.  His  eyes  were  still  fixed  with  a 
stricken  stare  upon  the  tumbling  billows  that  rolled 
in  the  wake  of  our  ship ;  and  his  colorless  cheeks 
and  quivering  bloodless  lips  still  shaped  the  hideous 
patch  of  white  in  the  centre  of  sombre  midnight. 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  119 

My  quiet  approach,  and  my  being  screened  from  his 
view  by  standing  somewhat  apart,  caused  my  pres- 
ence to  be  unperceived  by  him  ;  and  I  could  not  help 
remaining  rooted  to  the  spot  in  a  sort  of  fascination 
of  horror,  to  observe  this  spell-bound  man.  There 
was  a  sort  of  faint,  singular  gleam  that  seemed  to 
proceed  from  the  spot  upon  which  his  gaze  was 
riveted,  and  which  shed  a  dim  reflection  upon  the 
brow  of  the  figure  before  me,  so  that  I  was  able  to 
see  him  distinctly.  I  could  perceive  that  his  con- 
vulsed lips  were  flecked  with  foam,  and  that  they 
could  not  repress  his  agitated  breathings,  which  ex- 
haled in  a  series  of  lingering,  gasping,  hissing  utter- 
ances, which  seemed  as  if  they  were  impelled  forth 
by  a  power  not  his  own,  and  occasionally  seemed 
almost  to  form  themselves  into  incoherent  and  invol- 
untary words.  '  Thy  sister  !  So,  Titta,  so  ! '  were 
the  first  intelligible  sounds  I  distinguished  ;  then 
followed  :  '  that  blackened  throat  witnesses  against 
me  ! 7  while  the  muttered  sentences  hissed  forth  in 
the  articulation  of  the  rattlesnake.  His  hands 
clenched,  his  eyes  strained  eagerly,  his  form  writhing 
and  dilating,  as  '  So,  Titta,  so  ! 7  again  hissed  from 
his  frothed  lips,  and  he  looked  more  like  a  serpent 
than  a  human  being.  I  recoiled  in  horror  ;  but  the 
next  moment  I  perceived  his  limbs  relax,  his  staring 
eyes  close,  his  lips  become  mute  ;  and,  as  the  sin- 
gular gleam  (for  it  could  scarcely  be  called  light) 
faded  into  darkness,  I  beheld  him  stagger  along  the 
deck,  retreat  towards  his  own  cabin,  and  I  saw  him 
no  more  that  night. 

"  The  horror  of  this  scene,  and  the  circumstances 


120          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

of  its  repetition,  haunted  me  fearfully  through  that 
night  and  the  next  day;  and  I  resolved  to  change 
watches  with  the  man  who  had  the  coming  midnight 
oae,  in  order  that  I  might  have  an  opportunity  of 
observing  Stevens  again.  A  frightful  surmise,  that 
had  crossed  my  mind  when  I  first  heard  of  poor 
Titta's  disappearance,  had  recurred  more  forcibly 
since,  and  was  now  gaining  the  strength  of  convic- 
tion. As  the  mid-watch  came  on,  I  perceived  that 
Stevens  was  on  deck  also,  walking  about  in  a  con- 
strained manner,  and  as  if  acting  under  involuntary 
impulse.  I  purposely  kept  my  station  not  far  from 
the  stern  of  the  vessel,  and  this  circumstance  seemed 
to  annoy  and  perplex  him  not  a  little.  He  seemed 
to  be  afraid  of  expressing  openly  his  desire  that  I 
should  avoid  that  vicinity,  but  he  spared  no  efforts 
to  draw  me  away  by  stratagem  more  towards  the 
bow  of  the  ship.  As  the  time  crept  on,  he  grew 
evidently  more  and  more  uneasy,  and  even  con- 
descended to  assume  a  familiar  and  almost  friendly 
tone  of  conversation,  in  the  hope  of  diverting  my 
attention,  and  withdrawing  me  from  the  fatal  spot. 
At  length  he  feigned  to  remember  something  that 
wanted  attending  to  or  doing  at  the  head  of  the 
ship,  and  despatched  me  to  look  to  it  immediately. 
I  went  forward,  but  came  back  in  a  few  seconds,  as 
I  knew  that  it  must  be  just  upon  midnight.  I  shall 
never  forget  the  black  scowl  with  which  he  saw  me 
return  to  his  side  again.  I  beheld  it  by  the  reflection 
of  the  faint  gleam  astern,  which  shone  forth  just  as 
he  seemed  about  to  make  some  angry  exclamation  ; 
when,  instead  of  uttering  it,  his  figure  became  sud- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  121 

denly  struck  into  rigidity,  and  assumed  the  attitude 
of  intense  horror,  in  which  I  had  seen  it  twice  pre- 
viously. His  foaming  lips  again  hissed  forth  their 
terrible  sounds  ;  his  eyeballs  once  more  started  from 
their  sockets  in  that  riveted  gaze  ;  but,  though  he 
was  powerless  to  avert  his  looks,  he  seemed  to  be 
conscious  of  my  presence,  and  waved  his  arms  in 
furious  token  to  me  to  be  gone.  But  I  was  deter- 
mined to  abide  by  my  purpose,  and  I  nerved  myself 
to  watch  steadily  through  the  whole  time  that  this 
strange  spell  should  endure.  It  held  the  stricken., 
wretch  for  about  the  space  of  a  quarter  of  an  hour, 
during  which  period  I  saw  and  heard  enough  to  con- 
vince me  that  I  had  done  him  no  injustice  in  believ- 
ing him  to  be  the  murderer  of  poor  Titta  ;  but,  when 
the  trance  ceased,  and  his  limbs  relaxed,  and  he  was 
able  to  control  his  strained  vision,  the  first  use  he 
made  of  his  restored  powers  was  to  spring  upon  me, 
with  mingled  reproaches  and  threats.  I  shook  off 
the  reptile,  for  I  was  stronger  as  well  as  younger 
than  he,  and  the  baffled  miscreant  shrunk  away,  mut- 
tering curses  and  vows  of  vengeance. 

"  The  next  morning,  as  I  was  casting  about  in  my 
mind  how  best  to  state  my  accusation  of  the  mur- 
derer to  my  captain,  I  was  summoned  to  his  pres- 
ence to  attend  a  charge  of  murder  which  was  alleged 
against  myself.  I  learned  that  Stevens  had  been 
beforehand  with  me  ;  finding  that  I  had  discovered 
his  foul  secret,  and  that  I  should  probably  not  be 
long  in  revealing  it,  and  publicly  accusing  him  of 
the  fatal  deed,  he  determined  to  have  the  advantage 
of  precedence,  and  throw  discredit  on  the  tale  I 


122          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

should  relate  of  him,  by  previously  staining  my  own 
reputation. 

"  I  found  that  he  had  ingeniously  contrived  to 
throw  suspicion  on  the  circumstance  of  a  body  hav- 
ing been  found  in  the  grave  opened  for  the  reception 
of  my  little  Felix's  remains.  He  declared  that  he 
believed  the  buried  female  who  was  discovered  there 
to  have  been  the  victim  of  my  cruelty,  and  to  have 
fallen  by  my  hand ;  and  such  was  the  vehemence 
with  which  he  declared  that,  since  this  conviction 
.had  struck  him,  nothing  should  prevail  upon  him  to 
consort  further  with  a  murderer,  and  that  therefore 
he  demanded  my  immediate  imprisonment,  until  I 
could  be  tried  at  the  first  civilized  country  we  arrived 
at,  that  it  was  not  very  long  before  he  succeeded  in 
bringing  many  of  the  crew  round  to  his  opinion, 
and  several  loudly  declared  that,  for  their  parts,  they 
did  not  like  consorting  with  a  murderer  either. 

"  The  captain,  in  his  weak,  inconclusive  way,  now 
declared  that  it  was  really  very  shocking,  and  that 
he  positively  could  not  tell  what  to  think. 

11  '  What  is  very  shocking  ?  '  asked  I,  indignantly  ; 
'  nothing  has  been  proved  against  me  yet.  Is  it  very 
likely  that,  if  I  had  murdered  a  woman,  I  should  lead 
strangers  to  her  ^ery  grave,  and  bid  them  dig  it 
open  ? ' 

"  Stevens  here  reminded  them  that  I  was  in  such 
a  state  of  grief  at  the  time  when  I  lost  my  little 
Felix,  that  I  probably  had  not  reflected  on  the  con- 
sequences of  anything  I  then  did.  This  allusion  to 
my  winged  darling,  together  with  the  consciousness 
that  it  was  to  this  very  wretch  hiirself  that  I  owed 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  123 

his  destruction,  joined  to  the  abhorrence  I  felt  for  his 
recent  deeds  and  present  treachery,  inspired  me 
with  such  rage  and  loathing,  that  I  hastily  retorted 
his  charge,  arid  accused  him  of  having  murdered  the 
cabin-boy,  Titta.  An  accusation  thus  rashly  and 
abruptly  made  of  course  brought  with  it  rather  the 
appearance  of  retaliation  than  an  honest  detestation 
of  crime  ;  and  looked  more  like  a  desire  of  revenge, 
•  and  a  mean  attempt  to  screen  myself  by  attaching 
blame  to  another,  than  a  simple  disclosure  of  truth. 
I  soon  read  the  mischief  I  had  done  to  my  own 
cause  in  the  countenances  of  those  around  me  ;  and 
it  is  not  the  only  time  in  my  life,  my  dear  young 
friends,  that  I  have  observed  how  fatally  a  rash 
word,  an  impetuous  action,  or  an  ill-advised  step, 
may  injure  a  righteous  cause.  It  is  well,  therefore, 
in  emergencies  of  vital  importance,  to  keep  strict 
watch  upon  the  temper,  and  hold  the  judgment  cool 
and  prepared. 

"Had  I  acted  with  more  moderation  and  wisdom 
on  the  present  occasion,  it  might  have  been  better 
for  me  ;  as  it  was,  I  found  the  men  had  not  only  made 
up  their  minds  that  my  accusation  of  Stevens  was  a 
mere  false  subterfuge,  but  that  they  were  making  a 
halfjesting  proposal  to  the  captain  that  the  question 
of  my  guilt  or  innocence  should  be. decided  by  throws 
of  the  dice,  as  it  was  impossible  now  to  return  to  the 
shore  we  had  so  long  quitted,  to  collect  proofs  of  the 
murder  with  which  I  stood  charged. 

"  '  Certainly  not ;  it  is  out  of  the  question  to  re- 
trace our  way/  said  the  captain  ;  '  that  would  be  sad 
loss  of  time  indeed  ; ;  and  with  those  words  he  dis- 


124  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

missed  the  reconsideration  of  the  cause  until  another 
day,  as  he  declared  himself  quite  tired,  and  worn  to 
death  with  so  much  talking. 

"  I  found  myself  now,  however,  an  object  of 
marked  avoidance  and  detestation  to  my  shipmates  ; 
and  the  proposal  which  had  originated  jestingly  was 
soon  resumed  and  debated  in  earnest.  There  was  a 
sort  of  novelty  and  excitement  in  the  idea  which 
possessed  a  certain  charm  for  their  betting  souls ; 
and,  unable  to  withstand  the  temptation  of  a  game 
where  the  stake  involved  a  fellow-creature's  freedom 
or  condemnation,  nay,  his  very  existence,  they  were 
not  long  in  coming  to  a  decision  ;  and,  as  it  was  now 
near  noon,  they  made  preparation  for  throwing  the 
dice  at  midday. 

"  I  vainly  entreated  them  to  wait  till  night,  when 
they  should  have  an  opportunity  of  beholding  confirm- 
ation of  my  words  ;  but  they  jeeringly  replied  they 
would  decide  my  fate  first,  and  they  would  attend  to 
the  matter  of  Stevens7  alleged  misdeeds  afterwards. 
I  glanced  towards  the  mate  as  I  uttered  this  allusion 
to  the  appalling  vision  in  which  his  remorse  held 
him  nightly  spell-bound  ;  but  he  stood  with  his  arms 
folded  and  his  head  bent,  silently  watching  the  ar- 
rangements the  men  were  making  for  casting  the 
dice;  and  it  was  only  by  a  slight  shudder,  and  a 
paling  of  the  lip,  that  I  discovered  he  had  noticed 
what  I  said.  It  was  a  horrible  mockery  that  was 
enacted  in  the  full  blaze  of  that  noontide  sun  !  The 
men  stood  round  the  board  on  which  the  dice  were 
successively  cast,  their  countenances  agitated  by 
bad  passions,  and  absolutely  void  of  one  feeling  of 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  125 

compunction  for  the  deed  they  were  about  to  perpe- 
trate, or  for  the  victim  who  was  its  object.  I  gazed 
vacantly  on  the  scene,  unable  to  gather  the  results 
of  their  play,  for  I  knew  not  so  much  as  what  throws, 
or  combinations  of  throws,  had  been  agreed  upon  to 
decide  my  fate  ;  when,  just  as  a  loud,  brutal  huzza 
from  the  men,  and  a  glance  of  malignant  triumph 
from  the  white  face  of  Stevens,  had  informed  me  of 
my  doom,  a  tremendous  shock  was  felt  on  board,  so 
violent  as  to  cast  most  of  the  crew  prostrate,  and  a 
few  minutes  more  sufficed  to  show  that  the  ship  had 
struck  upon  a  rock,  and  was  going  to  pieces. 

"  But/7  said  Kit,  interrupting  himself,  "  it  is  time 
to  leave  off;  so  good-night,  and  good-by  !  " 

"  Good-by,  dear  Kit/7  echoed  both  his  young 
listeners,  with  the  deep-drawn  sigh  which  showed 
they  had  been  unconsciously  holding  their  breath  in 
profound  attention  ;  "  good-night,  and  good-by  !  " 


126  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 


CHAPTER    V. 

THE    SEQUEL  OF  THE  WRECK.  UBERTO    AND    BIONDELLO. THE  LIT- 
TLE    BARBER. KING    IMBECILIO,    PRINCESS    EUDORA,    AND     LORD 

IGNORIO. BARON    FEROCCIO,  AND    THE  LADY   ELLENA. 

"  WELL,  Kit,  what  happened  when  the  ship  struck 
upon  the  rock,  and  went  to  pieces  ?  "  asked  Dick, 
the  next  evening. 

"  And  how  did  you  escape  from  the  wreck  ? " 
added  his  sister. 

"  Immediately  the  nature  of  the  disaster  was  as- 
certained," replied  Kit,  "  for  the  crew  had  been  so 
deeply  engaged  in  their  wicked  pursuit  that  they 
had  not  kept  a  strict  look-out  enough  to  be  aware  of 
the  rocks  that  lay  ahead,  and  on  which  our  ship 
struck  with  such  fatal  force,  all  hands  were  in  requi- 
sition to  provide  for  their  safety ;  but,  with  the  usual 
brutal  selfishness  which  uniformly  characterizes  an 
inveterate  gamester,  they  one  and  all  devoted  their 
efforts  solely  to  securing  their  own  individual  rescue, 
losing  sight  of  the  general  good,  and  forgetful  that, 
in  neglecting  the  salvation  of  the  whole,  they  might 
probably  involve  their  own  risk  of  ultimate  peril 
and  loss. 

"  And  thus  it  proved  ;  for,  being  at  some  distance 
from  land,  and  the  ship  splitting  and  sinking  more 
rapidly  than  could  have  been  believed,  they  all  en- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  127 

deavored  to  seize  the  boats,  and,  crowding  into  them 
rashly  as  fast  as  they  could,  many  were  drowned  in 
the  very  outset,  and  boat  after  boat  was  sunk  arid 
lost,  with  the  weight  of  the  numbers  that  Overloaded 
them.  The  last  that  survived  was  the  long-boat ;  but 
as  I  swam  rapidly  towards  it,  in  the  hope  of  being 
taken  up,  I  beheld  the  white  face  of  Stevens  glaring 
upon  me,  as  he  leaned  forward,  and  hit  me  a  smart 
blow  on  the  hand  (which  I  had  placed  on  the  side  of 
the  boat)  with  a  cutlass ;  and  I  had  hardly  darted 
back  with  the  pain  of  the  wound,  and  a  bitter  feeling 
of  despair,  when  I  beheld  the  boat  drawn  towards 
the  fast-sinking  ship  ;  and  I  had  scarcely  time  to  exert 
my  utmost  strength  to  swim  beyond  the  whelming 
circle,  when  I  beheld  both  ship  and  boat  sucked  into 
the  dreadful  vortex,  and  plunged  beneath  the  abyss 
of  waters. 

"I  struggled  hard  for  my  deliverance,  and  toiled 
with  all  my  might  to  gain  the  land,  which  seemed  to 
elude  all  my  efforts  to  reach  it,  and  to  recede  in 
proportion  as  I  advanced.  Spent  and  exhausted,  I 
did  just  contrive  to  make  my  way  as  far  as  the  shal- 
low water,  through  which  I  crawled  wadingly,  and 
then  sunk  down  on  the  sands  at  the  very  brink,  in- 
sensible. 

"The  first  thing  of  which  I  felt  conscious,  on  re- 
turning to  life,  was  being  drawn  from  my  perilous 
situation,  and  placed  gently  on  the  higher  and  drier 
part  of  the  sand  ;  and  then  of  a  sweet  voice,  which 
said,  '  0,  no,  dear  Uberto,  he  is  not  dead  ;  he  must 
not  die.  Raise  his  head  a  little  on  to  your  knee ;  there 
—  see,  he  opens  his  eyes  ! ' 


128          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

"I  looked  towards  the  gentle  speaker,  and  saw  a 
youth  bending  over  me  with  soft,  kind  eyes,  in  which 
I  read  anxiety  for  my  recovery,  and  tender  goodness 
of  nature  mingled  with  bright  intelligence. 

"  'His  hand  is  badly  wounded/  said  the  person 
who  was  supporting  my  head,  as  he  raised  the  right 
wrist  carefully,  to  examine  the  cut  cruelly  inflicted 
by  Stevens,  but  which  was,  in  fact,  the  means  of  my 
preservation.  I  perceived  that  the  last  person  who 
spoke  was  a  somewhat  elder,  taller,  and  more  robust 
youth  than  the  one  I  had  first  beheld ;  but  while  I 
gazed  his  features  swam  indistinctly  before  me,  I 
felt  faint,  and  closed  my  eyes  again. 

"  I  was  not  perfectly  insensible,  though,  for  I  heard 
the  sweet  voice  of  the  first  youth  utter  a  sorrowing 
exclamation ;  and  then  I  heard  the  other  reply,  '  I 
will  lift  him  into  the  shadow  of  those  bushes,  out  of 
the  sun  ;  and  if  you  will  stay  and  watch  by  the  poor 
fellow,  Biondello,  I  will  run  home  for  a  cordial  for 
him,  which  I  hope  will  give  him  strength  enough, 
with  my  assistance,  to  reach  the  cottage/ 

"'Do  so,  dear  Uberto/  answered  the  soft  voice, 
'  and  I  will  take  care  of  him  meanwhile/ 

"  The  elder  youth,  having  effected  his  purpose  of 
placing  me  in  the  shade,  ran  off  at  a  quick  pace,  and 
left  me  alone  with  the  one  whom  he  had  called  Bion- 
dello, and  who  immediately  set  about  binding  my 
wounded  hand  with  his  handkerchief,  which  he  tore 
into  strips  for  the  purpose,  and  applied  with  a  light- 
ness and  delicacy  of  touch  that  a  surgeon  might 
have  envied.  The  relief  from  pain  which  this  dress- 
ing afforded  me,  and  the  refreshment  of  the  cool, 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  129 

shady  nook,  caused  me  to  revive  ;  and  it  was  not 
long  before  I  was  able  to  sit  up  and  tender  my  ac- 
knowledgments to  my  young  protector,  for  his  share 
in  my  rescue  from  the  waves,  and  for  the  relief  his 
gentle  care  had  since  afforded  me. 

"  He  received  my  thanks  with  modest  grace,  and 
yet  with  a  noble  air  that  well  became  his  beautiful 
features  and  high-bred  appearance  ;  his  look  and  car- 
riage were  equally  gracious  arid  dignified,  and  I  no- 
ticed that  he  wore  a  velvet  riding-suit,  rich,  though 
of  a  dark,  sober  hue,  and  simple  fashion. 

"Presently  there  was  the  sound  of  approaching 
footsteps,  and  the  voices  of  people  in  apparent  quest 
of  some  one.  Biondello  started  up,  and,  after  listen- 
ing for  an  instant,  he  said  rapidly  to  himself,  '  They 
seek  me  ;  they  must  not  find  him,  or  meet  Uberto  ; ' 
then  hurriedly  addressing  me,  the  youth  added, 
'  Stranger,  you  will  remain  here  ;  Uberto  will  soon 
return,  and  lead  you  where  you  can  have  shelter  and 
refreshment.  Farewell !  we  may  meet  again  ;  but, 
meanwhile,  silence  and  discretion  ! ? 

"  He  placed  his  finger  on  his  lips  with  a  sweet, 
serious  expression,  and,  waving  his  hand  in  graceful 
adieu,  he  glided  away  to  meet  those  who  approached, 
and  seemed  to  lead  them  back  the  way  they  came  ; 
for  I  soon  heard  the  receding  steps  of  the  whole 
party,  while  I  merely  caught  the  words,  'Alone! 
unattended  !  wandering  by  the  sea-shore  !  these  soli- 
tary rambles  cause  me  great  uneasiness,  lest  your 
highness  should  meet  with  any — .7  Here  the  voice 
died  away,  and  I  heard  no  more  until  I  was  roused 
by  Uberto,  who  hurried  towards  me  with  the  cordial, 
9 


130          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

raised  me  from  the  reclining  posture  into  which  I 
had  again  sunk  on  the  departure  of  Biondello  ;  and 
when  I  was  sufficiently  restored  to  be  able  to  walk, 
conducted  me  towards  his  dwelling,  and  bade  me 
welcome  with  a  courtesy  and  good  breeding  that 
savored  of  a  higher  station  than  the  one  indicated  by 
his  attire,  which  was  that  of  a  shepherd. 

"After  he  had  set  food  before  me,  and  congratu- 
lated me  on  my  escape,  waiving  the  thanks  I  ear- 
nestly proffered,  with  a  hearty,  good-humored  warmth 
of  manner,  and  a  frank  assurance  that  he  had  only 
aided  his  friend  Biondello  to  save  me  from  the  waves, 
and  draw  me  ashore,  he  begged  I  would  lie  down 
and  rest  myself  for  an  hour  or  two,  while  he  went  to 
look  after  his  flock,  which  he  had  somewhat  neglect- 
ed that  morning  while  enjoying  a  ramble  on  the  sea- 
shore. 

"  He  pointed  to  a  large  wooden  settle  that  stretched 
across  one  side  of  the  table  towards  the  hearth  ;  and. 
opening  the  door  of  the  apartment  which  led  imme- 
diately into  the  porch,  he  quitted  the  cottage  with 
a  friendly  nod  and  an  easy  freedom  of  mariner  that 
made  me  feel  at  home  at  once,  and  as  if  I  had 
known  him  for  eighteen  years,  at  least,  — that  is  to 
say,  all  our  life  ;  for  our  respective  ages  each  ap- 
peared to  comprehend  little  more  than  that  period 
of  time. 

"  When  he  left  me,  however,  I  was  by  no  means 
inclined  to  sleep  ;  my  frame  was  too  well  inured  to 
hardships  not  to  be  almost  restored  to  its  usual  vigor 
by  the  refreshment  and  aid  I  had  already  received  ; 
and  my  mind  was  too  busy  revolving  the  circum- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  131 

stances  that  had  recently  befallen  me,  in  the  new 
acquaintance  I  had  made  with  the  two  youths,  to 
permit  any  indulgence  in  slumber  before  night  should 
come  on. 

"The  afternoon  sun  streamed  through  the  flaunt- 
ing branches  of  roses  and  jasmine  that  embowered 
the  cottage  casement,  and  showed  me  the  room  that 
I  was  in  to  be  no  more  like  the  abode  of  a  simple 
shepherd,  than  the  bearing  of  the  youth  himself 
assorted  with  the  lowly  calling  which  his  dress  be- 
spoke. The  apartment,  though  humble  in  the  ex- 
treme, looked  far  more  like  the  closet  of  a  student 
than  the  interior  of  a  shepherd's  hut ;  for  around  the 
walls  on  all  sides  were  shelves  closely  packed  with 
books,  books,  and  books  of  all  shapes  and  dimensions, 
from  the  thin,  tall  folio  to  the  compact  duodecimo  ; 
from  the  portly  quarto  to  the  medium  octavo.  They 
were  ranged  in  various  groups,  from  the  historic  mag- 
nificence of  twelve,  the  biographic  importance  of 
four,  the  romantic  interest  of  three,  down  to  the 
precious  single  volume,  ^with  its  quaint  lore  and  con- 
densation of  wisdom  compressed  into  its  few  odd 
pages.  But,  through  all  this  profuse  company  of 
books,  there  was  not  one  fine  coat  among  them  ; 
their  bindings  were  all  homely,  even  unto  shabbi- 
ness, —  though  they  looked  worn  with  loving  use, 
and  not  injured  by  slovenry  or  neglect.  Besides  the 
one  on  which  my  repast  had  been  served,  there  was 
another  table,  spread  high  and  wide  with  more  books, 
and  which  also  bore  materials  for  writing.  Even  on 
the  settle  beside  me  were  strewed  one  or  two  books, 


132  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

which,  on  examination,  I  knew  enough  to  be  aware 
were  Greek  and  Latin  classic  poets. 

"  In  my  eagerness  to  learn  more  of  this  shepherd- 
philosopher,  I  rose,  and,  strolling  through  the  cottage 
porch,  all  fragrant  with  the  flowery  bloom  that  dis- 
tilled its  sweets,  as  it  crept  around  door  and  win- 
dow in  rich  profusion,  I  issued  forth  into  the  open  . 
air,  and  made  my  way  across  some  meadows,  in  the 
direction  I  had  seen  taken  by  my  host  when  seeking 
his  flock.  I  found  myself  in  a  lovely,  peaceful 
valley,  undisturbed  by  sight  or  sound  but  those  of 
Nature  in  her  serenest  aspect  of  beauty ;  and, 
directed  by  the  tinkle  of  a  distant  sheep-bell,  I  wan- 
dered on  till  I  came  to  a  grassy  plain  on  the  slope  of 
a  hill,  where  lay  scattered  the  fleecy  treasure  of  my 
host,  cropping  their  evening  meal  beneath  his  watch- 
ful care  ;  for  he  sat  at  a  little  distance,  under  a  shady 
tree,  enjoying  a  book,  while  his  sheep  enjoyed  their 
meal,  and  his  lambs  their  frisking,  sportive  game  of 
play. 

"  He  rose  to  meet  me  when  he  observed  my  ap- 
proach, and,  closing  his  book,  said  he  was  glad  to 
find  I  was  sufficiently  recovered  to  be  able  to  take  so 
long  a  walk.  I  replied  by  telling  him  of  my  admira- 
tion of  his  cottage-study,  arid  of  my  longing  to  know 
more  of  its  master. 

"  He  smiled,  and  said  my  surprise  at  finding  so 
many  books  in  the  possession  of  a  poor  scholar  would 
cease  when  he  informed  me  that  they  had  been  the 
gift  of  his  uncle  Erudito,  of  whose  vast  library  they 
formed  but  a  slight  portion.  That  his  venerable 
relation  had  spent  one  period  of  his  life  in  that  cot- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINKK.  133 

tage,  during  which  he  had  taken  great  pleasure  in 
forming  the  mind  of  Uberto,  and  of  infusing  into  his 
nephew's  spirit  the  same  earnest  love  of  knowledge 
that  inspired  his  own, —  he  himself  being  one  of  the 
most  celebrated  scholars  in  the  country.  That  he 
had  for  the  last  three  years  gone  to  reside  at  a  lone 
and  romantic  house  he  possessed  among  the  moun- 
tains inland,  where  he  could  pursue  his  favorite  study 
—  that  of  the  stars  ;  giving  the  books  and  the  cot- 
tage to  Uberto,  as  his  parting  token  of  love  and 
fatherly  regard.  '  The  flock,  my  sole  parental  in- 
heritance, supplies  all  my  wants/  said  Uberto,  in 
conclusion,  '  and  as  long  as  I  can  enjoy  my  peace- 
ful shepherd-life  out-of-doors,  and  my  treasury  of 
books  in-doors,  my  utmost  desires  of  wealth  are  ful- 
filled/ 

"Then  collecting  his  flock,  and  wending  home- 
wards, he  spoke  of  Biondello,  and  asked  me  how  it 
was  that  he  had  left  me  before  he  himself  could 
return.  I  told  him  how  Biondello  had  been  sought 
by  some  people  whom  I  had  not  seen,  and  I  was 
about  to  add  what  I  had  overheard,  when  Biondello  7s 
last  words,  '  meanwhile,  silence,  and  discretion !  ' 
echoed  in  my  ears  their  soft  tones,  and  I  checked 
myself. 

"Uberto,  however,  replied:  'I  hardly  wonder 
at  his  having  quitted  you  abruptly.  Though  I  have 
known  Biondello  myself  a  long  time,  and  in  some 
respects  intimately,  yet  there  has  always  been  some- 
thing about  him  that  I  could  not  precisely  fathom  — 
a  sort  of  mystery  connected  with  him  that  I  could 
not  discover  ;  but,  indeed,  I  have  never  greatly  cared, 


134  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

or  muck  sought  to  know  what  this  mystery  might  be, 
but  have  contented  myself  with  enjoying  the  pleasure 
of  his  society  on  his  own  terms,  without  seeking  to 
inquire  into  what  he  evidently  withholds.  Any  allu- 
sion to  his  birth  or  station,  or  what  he  is  at  all  beyond 
the  engaging  youth  I  know  and  see,  appears  to  dis- 
tress and  vex  him  ;  and  I  care  not  to  trouble  our  calm  . 
and  pleasant  intercourse  by  any  unseasonable  ques- 
tions. It  is  now  more  than  two  years  since  I  first 
beheld  him,  and  the  action  in  which  I  found  him 
engaged  led  me  to  love  him  as  soon  as  I  saw  him. 
Our  friendship  begun  from  that  moment,  and  has 
continued  ever  since.7 

"  '  What  were  the  circumstances  under  which  you 
first  beheld  him  ?  '  asked  I  ;  '  if  I  may  indulge  more 
curiosity  than  you  have  permitted  yourself  to  exer- 
cise with  regard  to  this  interesting  Biondello/  I 
added,  with  a  smile. 

"  '  There  is  a  small  brook,  crossed  by  a  plank  and 
handrail,  close  to  our  cottage/  replied  Uberto.  '  One 
morning,  on  approaching  this  spot,  I  beheld  a  youth 
leading  carefully  my  poor  blind  Martha  (the  old 
woman  who  keeps  my  humble  home  in  order  for  me), 
who,  it  seems,  had  missed  her  footing  in  crossing  the 
frail  bridge  I  mentioned,  had  fallen  into  the  brook, 
and  had  been  rescued  thence  by  the  youthful 
stranger,  who  was  now  soothing  'her  with  his  gentle 
voice,  and  tenderly  supporting  her  homewards.  The 
youth  (who  you  will  guess  was  no  other  than  Bion- 
dello) continued  to  press  her  to  lean  upon  him, 
though  his  slight  figure  seemed  to  afford  but  a  slen- 
der hope  of  much  strength,  and  utterly  regardless 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  135 

of  his  rich  hunting-suit,  which  might  be  soiled  in  the 
muddy  contact  of  the  old  woman's  dripping  clothes. 
This  humanity  and  freedom  from  selfish  fastidious- 
ness (too  rare  among  the  class  to  which  his  dress  be- 
spoke him  to  belong)  prepossessed  me  at  once  in  his 
favor.  I  addressed  him  with  thanks  for  his  care  of 
rnyj>oor  old  dame,  relieved  him  from  her  burden,  and 
we  proceeded  towards  my  cottage  together  ;  for  I 
then  learned  that  he  had  originally  been  coming 
thither,  when  he  met  with  the  adventure  of  the  blind 
woman.  He  told  me  that  he  had  a  great  thirst  for 
knowledge,  with  little  0r  no  means  of  acquiring  any  ; 
that  his  mother  had  early  inspired  him  with  a  vene- 
ration for  learning,  and  had  bid  him  seek  it  with  un- 
swerving diligence  when  she  should  be  no  more  ;  that 
she  had  often  spoken  to  him  of  the  profound  wisdom 
and  philosophic  lore  of  my  venerable  uncle  Erudito, 
and  had  desired  him  to  spare  no  entreaties  to  obtain 
his  friendship  and  secure  his  instruction  ;  that,  ac- 
cordingly, since  the  death  of  his  mother,  he  had 
never  ceased  desiring  to  carry  out  her  wishes  ;  and 
that  now,  when  he  had  somewhat  recovered  the  shock 
of  his  bereavement,  he  had  hastened  hither,  in  obe- 
dience to  her  solemn  injunctions. 

11 '  He  appeared  struck  with  dismay  when  I  informed 
him  of  the  departure  of  my  uncle.  He  gazed  mourn- 
fully round  upon  the  books,  as  if  deploring  this  sud- 
cleri  bar  to  his  hope  of  becoming  acquainted  with  their 
contents;  and  he  looked  so  touching  in  his  innocent 
sadness,  as  he  sat  with  clasped  hands  and  tearful 
eyes,  that  I  bade  him  take  courage,  and  said  that  if 
he  liked  I  would  help  him  in  his  difficulty. 


136  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 


ti  <  ' 


r  You  ?  '  said  he,  with  his  sweet  voice,  — for  you 
may  have  noticed  that  Biondello  has  a  remarkably 
sweet  voice,  —  as  he  looked  up  in  my  face  with  blush- 
ing eagerness  and  renewed  hope. 

"  '  I  will :  I  shall  not  make  you  so  good  a  master, 
to  be  sure,  as  my  clever  uncle  ;  but  he  has  kindly 
taught  me  a  good  deal,  and,  if  you  like,  I  will  teach 
it  to  you  again,  and  we  can,  at  any  rate,  go  on  until 
you  know  as  much  as  I  do.  Thus,  then,  our  acquaint- 
ance began,  and  thus  was  our  friendship  established 
as  master  and  pupil/  continued  Uberto  ;  '  Biondello 
comes  to  my  cottage  as  often  as  he  pleases  for  his 
lessons,  which  most  frequently  take  place  in  the  little 
study,  but  occasionally  we  carry  our  books  into  the 
open  air,  sometimes  sitting  under  a  tree  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  flock,  and  sometimes  wandering  along  the  sea- 
shore, as  we  fortunately  did  this  morning,  when  we 
discovered  you  on  the  sands.  But,  though  I  cannot 
help  fancying,  from  Biondello's  manners,  appearance, 
and  dress  (for  the  dark  hunting-dress  he  invariably 
wears  seems  to  be  costly,  though  simple),  that  he  is 
of  high  rank  and  birth,  yet  he  always  comes  alone 
and  unattended,  as  if  he  dreaded  observation  ;  and  I 
have  noticed  that  after  our  lessons,  when  I  offer  to 
walk  with  him  part  of  the  way  0:1  his  road  home,  he 
never  permits  me  to  accompany  him  beyond  a  certain 
point,  but  always  insists  on  my  returning  when  we 
have  reached  the  farthest  verge  of  the  little  wood 
which  lies  between  this  valley  and  the  city,  where  I 
imagine  is  his  abode.  I  know  little  of  the  great  city, 
seldom  having  occasion  to  quit  this  peaceful  valley, 
which  contains  all  I  desire  upon  earth ;  and  less 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  137 

of  the  court  which  holds  its  state  there  ;  for,  even  if 
my  inclination  led  me  to  seek  its  glittering  wonders, 
my  humble  station  would  preclude  any  hope  of  gain- 
ing admission  to  behold  them.  But  sometimes  I  have 
imagined  that  my  friend  Biondello  is  no  other  than 
the  heir  of  Lord  Ignorio,  the  prime  minister,  who  I 
have  heard  has  a  son  of  that  name  ;  and,  from  all  I 
have  ever  heard  of  the  father,  he  is  the  very  man  to 
render  it  necessary  for  a  child  of  his  to  seek  knowl- 
edge (if  he  have  any  thirst  for  it)  with  secrecy  and 
mystery.  However,  if  such  be  the  enigma  of  my 
friend's  incognito,  I  do  not  care  to  master  its  solu- 
tion while  it  is  his  whim  to  preserve  it  intact/ 

"  We  had  by  this  time  reached  the  cottage,  and 
evening  closing  in,  after  a  frugal  but  pleasant  meal, 
rendered  doubly  so  by  my  host's  conversation  and 
hearty  manners,  he  showed  me  to  the  room  formerly 
occupied  by  his  uncle  as  a  bed-chamber,  and  left  me 
to  enjoy  a  sound  night's  rest,  which  I  did,  undisturbed 
by  one  of  the  many  reflections  and  cogitations  that 
had  doubtless  frequently  employed  the  brain  of  its 
former  learned  occupant.  Next  morning  Uberto, 
playfully  remarking  that  his  solitary  humor  ought 
to  be  no  guide  for  me,  a  stranger,  who  would  doubt- 
less like  to  see  some  of  the  lions  of  the  neighboring 
metropolis,  strongly  advised  my  paying  a  visit  to  the 
great  city  beyond  the  wood,  telling  me  I  might  bring 
home  an  account  of  all  the  wonders  I  had  seen,  to 
amuse  him  after  his  morning  ramble  with  his  sheep. 
Accordingly,  soon  after  breakfast,  I  set  forth,  and 
entered  the  city  long  before  mid-day.  I  found  it  like 
most  other  large  cities  I  have  ever  seen,  with  grand 

'''~^«fe  s 

• 


138          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

streets  and  grand  shops,  plenty  of  wealth  and  plenty 
of  squalor,  large  lofty  houses  and  poor  lowly  dwell- 
ings, luxurious  carriages  mingling  with  heavy-laden 
carts,  and  easy  opulence  everywhere  neighbored  by 
bustling  commerce,  laboring  poverty,  or  needy  beg- 
gary. 

"  I  stopped  for  a  moment  to  look  into  a  jeweller's 
shop,  my  eye  being  caught  by  the  dazzling  heaps  dis- 
played in  the  window  ;  and  then  I  passed  on  to  the 
next,  a  bookseller's,  thinking,  at  the  moment,  that,  if 
I  had  money,  how  much  more  welcome  a  present  I 
could  carry  home  to  Uberto  from  the  second  shop 
than  the  first,  when  a  little  dapper  man,  a  barber, 
who  had  been  observing  me,  stepped  across  the  street, 
and  pointing  back  to  his  shop  on  the  other  side  of  the 
way,  asked  me  if  I  would  not  like  to  be  shaved. 

"  I  put  my  hand  to  my  smooth  chin,  which,  it  must 
be  owned,  advanced  but  small  claims,  as  yet,  to  his 
services,  and  looked  him  smilingly  in  the  face,  shak- 
ing my  head  expressively,  as  a  sufficient  answer. 
But,  nowise  abashed,  he  smirked,  and  bowed,  and 
said, 

"  '  But  your  hair,  sir  ;  perhaps  you  would  like  to 
have  it  cut  ?  Its  luxuriant  growth  would  be  improved 
by  a  little  trimming,  I  venture  to  think,  and  may, 
perhaps,  suggest  — 

11  While  he  was  obsequiously  uttering  this  speech, 
it  occurred  to  me  that  a  rest  in  his  barber's  chair 
would  not  be  unwelcome  to  me  after  my  sauntering 
walk  through  the  town,  and  that  I  niight  possibly 
pick  up  some  amusing  intelligence  the  while  from 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  139 

this  polite  little  man,  whose  calling  proverbially  in 
eluded  that  of  a  newsmonger. 

"  I  accordingly  suffered  him  to  lead  me  across  the 
way,  to  his  shop  ;  and  he  had  no  sooner  commenced 
operations  on  my  head,  than  I  began  to  question  hirn 
a  little  concerning  the  current  talk  of  the .  town,  the 
state  of  politics  there,  the  court  gossip,  and  whether 
he  knew  anything  of  the  Lord  Ignorio. 

"  '  His  right  honorable  lordship,  the  prime  minis- 
ter?—  To  be  sure  I  do/  replied  the  little  man,  con- 
sequentially ;  '  his  lordship  is  my  excellent  good 
friend  and  constant  patron.  I  have  not  only  his  own 
right  honorable  beard  under  my  hands  every  morn- 
ing, but  I  have  the  honor  of  dressing  his  daughter 
the  Lady  Ellena's  lovely  curls,  and  his  son  Count 
Biondello's  hair,  with  the  prospect  of  the  future 
culture  of  the  latter's  moustachios  and  whiskers, 
when  Heaven  shall,  in  its  own  good  time,  invest  the 
youth  with  these  insignia  of  manhood.  Indeed,  it  is 
not  from  any  want  of  zeal  on  the  part  of  my  right 
honorable  patron,  Lord  Ignorio,  that  I  have  not  the 
beard  and  hair  of  majesty  itself  under  my  jurisdic- 
tion ;  but  the  fact  is/  —  and  here  the  little  barber 
dropped  his  voice  to  a  confidential  whisper,  — '  the 
fact  is,  there  is  much,  very  much,  my  dear  sir,  to  be 
understood  in  these  matters  that  does  not  appear  on 
the  surface,  — wheel  within  wheel,  my  dear  sir  ;  — 
counteracting  interests,  cabals,  and  intrigues  without 
end,  considerations  of  policy,  prudence,  expediency, 
and  I  know  not  what,  —  prevent  skill  and  peculiar 
fitness  from  receiving  their  due  weight  in  court  ap- 
pointments. I  name  no  names/  added  the  little 


140  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

barber,  almost  breathless  with  the  importance  of  his 
communication,  and  the  mystery  attached  to  it. 
'  But  this  I  will  say,  that,  considering  the  high  influ- 
ence which  Lord  Ignorio  doubtless  possesses  with 
the  most  illustrious  personage  in  this  kingdom,  it 
must  be  some  of  the  motives  I  have  just  alluded  to 
which  caused  a  certain  person's  appointment  to  the 
post  of  court-barber,  instead  of  your  humble  servant.7 

"  'Then  Lord  Ignorio's  influence  with  his  majesty 
is  very  great  ? ;  asked  I,  as  soon  as  I  could  edge  a 
word  into  the  midst  of  my  barber's  stream  of  talk. 

"  'His  right  honorable  lordship's  power  near  the 
throne  is  undoubted  and  enormous,'  replied  the  little 
man  ;  '  so  undoubted  and  so  enormous,  indeed,  that  it 
does  not  fail  to  raise  the  jealousy  and  enmity  of  the 
base-minded  populace,  who  contend  that  it  is  not 
well  for  their  aged  monarch  to  be  so  wholly  led  by  a 
man  who,  they  say,  is  well  known  to  be  an  unlet- 
tered, ignorant,  obstinate  man,  entertaining  the  great- 
est contempt  for  intellectual  power,  and  believing 
the  whole  glory  and  greatness  of  a  nation  to  consist 
in  her  military  achievements,  and  the  extension  of  her 
dominions.  These  absurd  slanders  of  my  noble  pa- 
tron (if,  indeed,  I  ought  to  call  them  slanders,  when, 
for  my  part,  I  venture  to  think,  and  may,  perhaps, 
suggest,  that  they  are  admirable  principles  for  a 
prime  minister), — but  these  opinions  of  the  popu- 
lace concerning  my  right  honorable  patron  have 
arisen  partly  from  the  circumstance  of  his  having  be- 
trothed his  only  daughter,  the  Lady  Ellena,  to  the 
commander-in-chief  and  generalissimo  of  the  forces, 
Baron  Feroccio,  and  from  his  universally  laboring 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  141 

to  promote  the  military  advantages  of  the  country, 
to  the  neglect,  and  even  prejudice,  of  her  civil, 
commercial,  artistic,  and  financial  interests.  Count 
Biondello,  too,  his  lordship's  son,  seems  to  have  in- 
herited his  father's  predilections,  and  to  be  a  worthy 
successor  in  his  views  ;  for,  notwithstanding  it  is 
whispered  that  he  is  rather  a  wild  youth,  and^given 
to  follow  his  own  lordly  will,  —  which  1  venture  to 
think,  and  may,  perhaps,  suggest,  are  very  allowable 
indications  of  his  high  rank  and  aristocratic  con- 
sciousness of  privilege  and  impunity, —  but,  notwith- 
standing these  rumors,  I  say,  it  is  believed  that  he 
has,  at  present,  quitted  the  court  with  the  intention 
of  going  to  the  wars  and  joining  Baron  Feroccio, 
his  sister's  betrothed,  under  whom  he  will  probably 
serve  a  few  campaigns  incog.  This  sudden  disap- 
pearance of  Count  Biondello  from  court  was,  by 
some,  attributed  to  dread  of  a  match  which,  it  is 
understood,  was  contemplated  by  our  venerable  mon- 
arch, King  Imbecilio,  who,  in  his  partiality  for  his 
favorite  minister,  had  thought  of  bestowing  his  only 
child,  the  Princess  Eudora,  on  Lord  Ignorio's  son, 
Count  Biondello,  in  marriage.  Now,  sir,  you  must 
know  —  a  little  oil  will,  I  venture  to  think,  and  may, 
perhaps,  suggest,  be  an  improvement  to  your  hair, 
sir.  No  ?  —  0,  very  well ;  no  oil  —  quite  simply  —  as 
you  please,  of  course.  —  Well,  sir,  as  I  was  saying/ 
continued  the  little  barber,  resuming  the  thread  of 
his  discourse,  which  he  had  abruptly  snapped,  with  a 
professional  solicitude  about  my  head,  '  as  I  was 
saying,  you  must  know  that  the  Princess  Eudora  is 
a  very  peculiar  person,  if  I  may  venture  to  think  and 


142  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

suggest  such  a  thing  of  a  royal  individual  —  very 
peculiar.  She  not  only  will  never  permit  any  one  to 
touch  her  hair,  which  she  always  dresses  arid  arranges 
herself,  according  to  her  own  particular  notions 
of  grace  and  beauty,  —  a  thing  which,  I  venture  to 
think,  and  may,  perhaps,  suggest,  is  very  unladylike, 
not  to  say  unprincessly,  savoring  of  plebeian  inde- 
pendence, and  low,  artist-like  individuality  of  taste, 
wholly  unbecoming  her  distinguished  rank  and  sta- 
tion ;  —  not  only  has  she  this  peculiarity,  but  she  is 
said  to  have  a  decided  abhorrence  for  show  and 
proper  dignity,  which  she  calls  ostentation  and  pride  ; 
she  despises  homage  and  observance  as  servility  and 
fawning,  and  talks  of  fashionable  ease  and  courtly 
polish  as  frivolity  and  folly ;  she  has  even  been 
heard  to  censure  war  and  conquest  as  wasteful  bur- 
thens on  the  state,  and  is  well  known  to  prefer  study 
to  amusement.  No  wonder  poor  Count  Biondello 
should  take  fright  at  the  proposal  of  a  union  with  such 
a  woman,  even  though  she  be  a  princess  of  the  royal 
blood,  and  heir  apparent  to  the  throne  ;  for  I  ven- 
ture to  think,  and  may,  perhaps,  suggest,  that  a  bpok- 
ish,  learned  wife  is  not  formed  to  be  a  very  eligible 
companion,  or  a  very  attractive  mistress,  to  a  gay 
soldier.  Poor  young  man  !  and  poor  old  man,  too,  if 
all  be  true  that  I  hear/  pursued  the  little  barber  ;  '  for 
I  understand  that  the  poor  old  king,  her  father,  is 
sometimes  perfectly  desperate  about  her  odd  ways 
and  whimsical  notions,  and  is  ready  to  run  distracted 
at  the  little  sense  she  has  of  what  is.  due  to  her  posi- 
tion, when  she  avows  her  sympathy  with  the  very 
poorest  and  most  abject  of  the  people,  —  creatures 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  143 

that  you  would  not  touch  with  my  pole,  long  as  it  is, 
and  ragged  and  dirty  as  they  are,  —  declaring  that 
even  their  vices  are  more  to  be  pitied  than  blamed, 
desiring  the  amelioration  of  their  condition  above  all 
things,  studying  her  own  improvement  for  their  sake, 
reading  and  thinking,  instead  of  dressing  and  visit- 
ing, and,  in  short,  committing  a  thousand  eccentric 
absurdities,  enough  to  break  a  father's  heart,  espe- 
cially a  kingly  father's.' 

"  The  little  barber  concluded  his  speech  just  as  his 
officiation  with  my  hair  came  to  a  close ;  so,  rising 
from  my  seat  and  paying  him,  I  took  my  leave,  with 
many  thanks  for  his  entertaining  gossip  and  court 
news.  As  I  quitted  his  shop,  and  proceeded  in  the 
direction  which  I  knew  would  lead  me  towards  the 
part  of  the  country  where  lay  the  valley  and  Uber- 
to's  cottage  beyond  the  wood,  a  carriage  drew  up  to 
the  edge  of  the  pavement,  and,  stopping  near  to 
where  I  stood,  a  person  stepped  out  and  addressed 
me.  He  had  on  a  coat  covered  with  gold  lace,  car- 
ried a  gold  stick  in  his  hand,  and  looked  like  a  court 
footman.  Making  a  low  bow,  he  told  me  he  was 
instructed  to  fetch  me  to  the  palace  immediately,  as 
his  majesty,  King  Imbecilio,  desired  to  speak  to  me. 
I  of  course  immediately  obeyed,  and  was  conveyed 
speedily  to  the  very  place  concerning  which,  its 
doings,  and  some  of  the  people  who  figured  in  its 
circle,  I  had  just  been  hearing  so  much. 

"  I  was  ushered  straight  into  the  presence-cham- 
ber, where  sat  an  aged  man,  on  a  throne,  whose 
countenance  seemed  to  be  compounded  of  vacant 
insipidity  and  foolish  wonder,  and  whose  weak  as- 


144          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

pect  and  silly  expression  inspired  but  little  respect, 
notwithstanding  the  grandeur  of  his  position,  and 
the  magnificence  by  which  he  was  surrounded.  On 
each  side  of  the  throne  were  ranged  splendidly- 
dressed  guards,  in  brilliant  uniforms  ;  and  around 
stood  troops  of  jewelled  noblemen,  robed  in  rich 
velvets  and  silks,  while  snowy  plumes  waved  from 
their  caps,  and  gave  animation  and  life  to  the  scene. 
But  what  chiefly  attracted  my  eyes,  amid  all  this 
gorgeous  array,  was  a  figure  that  sat  on  a  couch 
placed  in  close  vicinity  to  the  throne,  and  whom  I 
immediately  guessed  to  be  the  king's  daughter, 
Princess  Eudora.  She  was  attired  in  simplest  white, 
but  from  the  slight  circlet  that  crowned  her  princely 
brow  a  lustrous  veil  of  golden  hair  fell  in  clustering 
profusion  over  shoulders,  bosom,  and  waist,  and 
made  her  the  brightest  object  in  that  bright  scene. 

"  Her  face,  too,  was  of  surpassing  beauty ;  the 
white  polished  temples  shone  with  intellectual  su- 
premacy, her  eyes  beamed  forth  mingled  softness 
and  spiritual  elevation,  the  roses  of  her  mouth 
bloomed  sensibility  and  ever-fresh  gentleness  and 
gracious  kindness,  intelligence  and  sweetness  spar- 
kled and  played  alternately,  or  blended  harmoniously 
in  every  expressive  feature,  and  the  brilliancy  of  her 
complexion,  together  with  her  radiant  tresses,  shed 
a  sunshine  around  the  spot,  as  if  a  youthful  Aurora 
had  sat  there  to  dazzle  human  vision. 

•'I  gazed  entranced  upon  this  beauteous  figure, 
struck  by  some  vaguely-remembered  impression,  as 
well  as  by  the  present  one,  when  my  attention  was 
recalled  by  the  king's  addressing  me,  and  my  eyes 


KIT   BAM,    MARINER.  145 

fell  again  upon  the  foolish,  wondering  face  of  the  old 
man,  whose  gray  hairs  were  the  sole  thing  in  his 
appearance  that  claimed  genuine  respect.  I  knelt  to 
him,  while  he  told  me  that,  having  heard  I  was  a 
stranger  who  had  been  cast  ashore,  the  sole  survivor 
from  the  vessel  which  was  wrecked  off  that  coast  the 
previous  day,  he  had  sent  for  me  to  see  what  could 
be  done  to  relieve  the  destitute  condition  to  which  I 
doubtless  found  myself  reduced  by  this  accident ; 
and,  as  he  was  struck  by  my  stalwart  appearance, 
good  height,  and  the  athletic  proportions  of  my  frame 
(which  promised  great  strength  when  I  should  reach 
maturity),  he  resolved  to  bestow  upon  me  a  post  in 
his  army,  and  would  engage  to  give  me  the  command 
of  a  troop  on  the  first  signal  proof  I  should  give  of 
bravery  and  military  ardor. 

"His  majesty  paused,  evidently  expecting  that  I 
should  be  transported  with  this  mark  of  his  bounty ; 
but  when  I  had  a  little  recovered  my  amazement,  I 
ventured  to  state  that,  so  far  from  ever  expecting  to 
distinguish  myself  by  military  ardor,  or  zeal  for  a 
profession  of  which  I  had  ever  felt  a  scrupulous  aver- 
sion, from  its  involving  the  necessity  of  putting  a 
fellow-creature  to  death,  I  must  beg  respectfully  to 
decline  his  majesty's  intended  boon,  and  to  relinquish 
any  claim  upon  his  compassion  from  my  late  acci- 
dent, as  I  hoped  speedily  to  be  in  a  condition  to 
resume  my  sailor  life,  until  when,  I  was  contented 
to  be  obliged  to  a  generous  friend  for  the  means  of 
present  subsistence. 

"King  Imbecilio  appeared  to  be  about  to  return 
some  angry  reply,  when  his  daughter  rose  from  her 
10 


146          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

couch,  and,  laying  her  hand  gently  on  her  parent's 
arm,  murmuring,  '  Nay,  dear  father —  '  she  went 
on  to  whisper  something  earnestly  to  him,  while  I 
started,  struck  once  more  by  some  vague  remem- 
brance suggested  by  those  soft  tones  ;  then,  turning 
towards  me,  she  added,  '  Go,  friend !  you  are  right, 
perhaps,  but  go  now,  and  at  once/  She  waved  her 
hand  graciously,  but  firmly,  gentleness  and  dignity 
in  every  look,  while  I,  dropping  for  an  instant  to  her 
feet,  and  pressing  the  hem  of  her  white  garment  to 
my  lips,  promptly  withdrew  from  the  royal  presence. 

"  I  once  again  wended  my  steps  towards  the  coun- 
try, pondering  on  my  visit  to  court,  and  stopped  not 
until  I  reached  Uberto's  cottage,  where  I  entertained 
my  host  with  an  account  of  all  I  had  seen  and  heard 
on  my  visit  to  the  great  city. 

"He  seemed  to  dwell  most  on  what  I  had  heard 
from  the  little  barber  concerning  Count  Biondello, 
Lord  Ignorio's  son  ;  observing  that  the  circumstance 
of  the  youth's  disappearance  confirmed  what  he  had 
some  time  suspected  ;  and  that  what  mere  report  had 
represented  as  wildness,  wilfulness,  and  determi- 
nation to  follow  his  own  predilection  for  war,  might, 
in  reality,  be  a  resolute  determination  to  pursue  the 
path  of  knowledge  unthwarted  by  his  unlettered 
father,  and  so  render  himself  worthy  of  his  promised 
bride,  and  of  hereafter  reigning  with  her. 

"  '  And  this  promised  bride,  this  beautiful  princess 
herself,7  added  Uberto,  after  a  moment's  pause,  '  she 
must  needs  be  a  glorious  creature,  Kit ;  and,  of  all 
your  wonders,  the  only  one  I  should  care  to  see/ 

"  The  next  day  I  wandered  down  to  the  sea-shore, 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  14*7 

that  I  might  see  if  there  were  any  trace  of  my  un- 
happy shipmates,  or  any  portion  of  the  wreck  to  be 
discovered  on  the  sands ;  but  not  a  vestige,  not  a 
token,  did  I  find ;  I  was  apparently  the  only  one 
saved  from  that  luckless  crew ;  and,  as  I  returned, 
I  failed  not  to  render  fervent  thanks  for  my  preser- 
vation. 

"  On  entering  the  porch  of  the  cottage,  I  heard  the 
voice  of  Uberto  reading  aloud,  and,  as  I  lingered  for 
an  instant  to  look  into  the  little  study  ere  I  crossed 
the  threshold,  I  saw  him  seated  on  the  oaken  settle, 
with  Biondello  by  his  side,  who  was  looking  up  into 
his  face,  and  drinking  in  every  word  that  fell  from 
his  lips  with  avidity,  and  devoted  attention.  The 
two  youths  made  a  nice  picture,  sitting  thus  ;  the 
eager  pupil,  with  his  soft  eyes  and  rosy  mobile  lips, 
the  very  personification  of  listening,  earnest  docility ; 
the  grave  master,  with  his  high-minded  look,  his  im- 
pressive delivery  of  the  lofty  theme,  and  his  benign 
interest  for  the  neophyte  beside  him,  looked  like  the 
genius  of  Instruction.  The  younger  lad  had  cast 
aside  his  dark  velvet  cap,  and  wore  a  sort  of  crimson 
silk  net,  of  Spanish  fashion,  which  contrasted  well 
with  his  fair  hair  and  still  fairer  skin  ;  the  elder  one 
in  his  simple  rustic  guise,  his  glowing  cheek  em- 
browned by  open  air  and  healthful  exercise,  arid  his 
dark  chestnut  locks  clustering  close  round  his  noble 
forehead,  broad  and  high  in  the  expanse  of  intellect, 
they  looked  two  rare  and  exquisite  specimens  of 
youthful  and  manly  beauty. 

"  After  I  had  indulged  my  fancy  for  a  few  mo- 
ments, by  contemplating  them  thus  in  silence  as 


148          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

they  sat  together,  I  advanced  from  the  porch  and 
entered  the  little  study,  just  as  Uberto  had  concluded 
his  period,  and  Biondello  had  ejaculated,  '  Sublime 
wisdom  ! '  The  cadence  of  the  voice  struck  me,  as 
those  soft  tones  fell  again  upon  my  ear,  and  I  paused 
involuntarily  ;  while  Biondello,  raising  his  eyes,  met 
mine,  and  read  something  in  their  expression  that 
caused  a  bright  crimson  blush  to  flash  into  his  face, 
then  to  spread,  until  it  suffused  his  very  throat,  that 
lay  bare  beneath  the  open  collar  of  his  hunting-vest, 
thrown  partially  back  on  account  of  the  heat. 

"  But  he  also  seemed  to  read  in  my  face  something 
that  reassured  him,  for  he  recovered  himself  by  the 
time  Uberto  had  said  :  '  You  were  so  absorbed  in  the 
old  philosopher's  doctrines,  Biondello,  and  are,  more- 
over, so  unaccustomed  to  any  one  else's  presence  in 
this  solitary  study  of  ours,  that  you  had  forgotten  I 
have  a  guest  in  the  stranger  whom  I  helped  you  to 
rescue  from  the  waves  the  other  morning/ 

"  So  saying,  he  introduced  us  to  each  other  with 
his  usual  ease  and  courteous  freedom  of  manner,  and 
the  lesson  proceeded,  while  I  took  up  a  curious  old 
volume,  full  of  quaint  illuminations  and  strange  pic- 
tures, that  I  might  relieve  the  students  from  my  ob- 
servation, while  I  pursued  my  own  train  of  thought, 
and  the  revery  into  which  I  had  fallen.  Ever  and 
anon  I  glanced  furtively  at  the  younger  one,  as  his 
low  soft  tones  reached  my  ear  when  replying  to  some 
question  or  remark  of  his  instructor,  and  each  time  I 
gathered  fresh  confirmation  of  my  surmise.  '  The 
close  net  of  crimson  silk  does  well/  I  thought ;  '  it  is 
a  good  device  for  concealing  that  lustrous  wealth  of 


KIT    BAM;    MARINER.  149 

tresses ;  but,  having  once  beheld  their  full  radiance, 
I  can  divine  them  beneath  their  silken  screen/ 

"  The  lesson  finished,  we  all  three  went  forth 
together,  and  sauntered  through  the  valley  towards 
the  little  wood,  beyond  which  lay  the  city.  As  we 
approached  the  trees,  we  saw  a  little  stray  lamb 
wandering  by  itself,  and  Uberto,  willing  to  restore  it 
to  the  flock,  retraced  his  steps,  bidding  me  accom- 
pany Biondello  through  the  wood,  as  far  on  his  way 
home  as  he  chose  to  have  an  escort. 

"Thus  left  alone  together,  I  could  see  the  bright 
flush  once  more  suffuse  Biondello's  cheek  and  throat ; 
but  I  cast  my  eyes  gravely  on  the  ground,  with  as 
much  unconsciousness  as  I  could  assume,  determined 
that  I  would  be  guided  entirely  by  what  I  should 
discover  to  be  the  wishes  of  my  companion. 

"I  was  not  long  kept  in  suspense,  however. 
After  a  few  moments7  bashful  irresolution,  the  grace- 
ful being  beside  me  stopped,  and,  with  dignified  can- 
dor, said,  '  I  perceive  you  have  penetrated  my  secret, 
Kit ;  you  have  discovered  who  I  really  am  ;  but  I 
perceive,  also,  that  you  have  respected  my  mystery, 
and  have  repaid  the  service  I  rendered  you  in  saving 
your  life,  by  strictly  observing  the  injunction  I  gave 
you,  of  "  silence  and  discretion/7  Could  you  but 
know  how  difficult  has  been  my  path  hitherto,  how 
beset  with  obstacles  and  impediments  I  have  been 
through '  life  in  my  endeavor  to  fulfil  my  duty  hon- 
estly and  conscientiously,  you  would  not  wonder  at 
my  having  recourse  to  this  disguise  to  obtain  what 
I  could  not  otherwise  achieve.  Ignorance,  preju- 
dice, and  parental  authority  injudiciously  exercised, 


150  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

hemmed  me  in,  and  prevented  my  attaining  what  my 
soul  thirsted  for, —  knowledge  and  wisdom  ;  but, 
feeling  that  on  my  freedom  from  the  thraldom  of  nar- 
row-minded views  depended  not  only  my  own  en- 
lightenment, but  in  that  enlightenment  the  future 
welfare  of  thousands,  I  resolved  to  brave  all  risks, 
and  devote  myself  to  study,  reflection,  and  intellect- 
ual acquirement,  in  the  humble  guise  of  an  unknown 
youth ;  this  secluded  valley,  the  abode  of  the  schol- 
arly Erudito  and  his  nephew,  apart  from  courtly 
trammels,  and  screened  from  impertinent  interfer- 
ence, has  been  the  happy  scene  of  my  education  ; 
and  I  trust  to  your  good  faith,  Kit,  in  preserving  my 
secret  scrupulously,  for  the  continuance  of  my 
scheme,  and  for  the  security  of  the  results  with 
which  I  hope  to  see  it  ultimately  crowned.  Kemem- 
ber,  to  you  and  Uberto  I  am  Biondello  still.  From 
him,  particularly,  guard  my  secret  carefully.  Once 
more,  then,  "  farewell ;  and,  silence  and  discretion  !  " 

"  A  moment  more,  and  I  was  left  quite  alone  be- 
neath the  trees  ;  and,  ruminating  on  what  I  had  just 
heard,  I  returned  slowly  to  the  cottage. 

"  Next  day,  I  hoped  in  vain  to  see  Biondello 
again  ;  all  the  morning  I  could  scarcely  attend  to 
the  book  which  Uberto  was  reading  aloud  to  me,  as 
we  sat  together  beneath  our  favorite  tree,  for  think- 
ing of  Biondello,  and  looking  for  his  arrival.  The 
subject  of  the  volume  was  interesting  to  me, —  it 
was  a  book  of  voyages  and  travels, — but  my  atten- 
tion perpetually  wandered,  and  at  length  Uberto 
perceived  it,  and  said :  '  I  don't  wonder  at  your 
being  interested  in  Biondello,  and  longing  to  see 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  151 

tnore  of  him.  He  is  certainly  the  most  fascinating 
of  human  beings,  and  I  myself  am  conscious  of  feel- 
ing that  my  old  liking  arid  affection  for  my  gentle 
pupil  has  of  late  deepened  and  strengthened  into  an 
attachment  that  is  becoming  a  part  of  my  very  exist- 
ence. His  presence  is  a  joy  and  delight  to  me  ;  his 
absence  saddens  and  depresses  me.  I  am  haunted, 
when  he  is  away,  by  the  musical  echo  of  his  soft 
tones,  and  his  gentle  smile  plays  ever  fitfully  before 
me,  making  me  pine  to  bask  in  its  kindly  warmth 
again,  as  if  it  were  a  vital  principle.  I  reason  with 
myself,  and  endeavor  to  wean  myself  from  the  fasci- 
nation which  this  youth's  society  possesses  for  me  ; 
for  if,  as  I  suspect,  he  is  indeed  Lord  Ignorio's  son, 
how  should  I  hope  to  retain  forever  the  companion- 
ship of  one  so  high-born,  and  so  remote  in  position 
from  myself?  Count  Biondello,  the  mature  noble- 
man, will  forget  his  humble  shepherd-master ;  and 
the  instructor  of  the  gentle  lad,  Biondello,  will  long 
in  vain  to  see  his  old  pupil.7 

"  Uberto  paused,  with  a  deep  sigh  and  a  troubled 
look,  very  different  from  the  usual  calm  expression 
of  his  thoughtful,  though  frank  and  open  counte- 
nance. But  his  brow  cleared  as  I  said,  energetically  : 
'  Do  not  think  it ;  Biondello  will  never  forget  the 
friend  of  his  youth  ;  his  nature  is  too  noble/ 

"  Uberto  grasped  my  hand  with  cordial  warmth, 
as  he  replied : 

"  '  True  ;  ^ou  do  him  better  justice  than  I  do,  in 
the  selfishness  of  my  exacting  attachment.7 

"He  turned,  as  he  spoke,  to  go  homewards,  and  I 
saw  that  he,  too,  partook  of  my  anxiety  for  the 


152  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

arrival  of  Biondello.  Afternoon  came,  however,  but 
still  the  youth  did  not  appear ;  and  I  heard  Uberto 
repeat  his  deep  sigh  as  he  put  away  the  books  on 
the  shelves  which  he  had  spread  on  the  study-table 
that  morning,  in  the  hope  of  his  beloved  pupil's 
advent, —  a  hope  that  he  now  evidently  relinquished, 
though  with  reluctance. 

"  Restless  and  uneasy,  he  then  proposed  our  walk- 
ing forth  again  into  the  open  air ;  and  we  naturally 
enough  took  the  direction  of  the  little  wood.  Our 
thoughts  being  preoccupied,  we  as  naturally  walked 
on  in  silence  ;  but  the  exclamation  which  burst  from 
us  both  at  the  same  moment  showed  plainly  the  sub- 
ject which  had  employed  them  severally  and  alike. 

"  '  There  he  is  ! '  we  suddenly  ejaculated,  as  Bion- 
dello emerged  from  the  wood,  and  hurried  towards 
us. 

"  His  manner  and  appearance  filled  us  with  alarm. 
His  dress  was  disordered,  and  his  face  was  pale  and 
agitated  ;  he  trembled  violently,  and  looked  back 
every  now  and  then  in  the  direction  whence  he  came, 
as  if  he  dreaded  pursuit. 

"  'What  is  the  matter,  Biondello  V  asked  Uberto, 
forcing  himself  to  be  calm,  that  he  might  the  better 
soothe  his  young  friend's  agitation.  <  What  has 
happened  ?  What  has  alarmed  you  ?  ' 

"  '  There  has  been  a  frightful  scene  there/  gasped 
the  youth,  pointing  in  the  direction  of  the  city ;  '  a 
popular  tumult ;  the  people  have  risen  "in  defence  of 
their  rights  ;  they  have  proclaimed  their  abhorrence 
of  the  late  government,  denounced  the  prime  minis- 
ter as  their  chief  enemy,  attacked  his  house,  re- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  153 

quired  him  to  surrender  himself  to  their  custody, 
and  are  preparing  to  dictate  terms  to  the  king.7 

"  Biondello  appeared  to  be  about  to  add  something 
more,  as  he  looked  appealingly  into  his  friend's  face  ; 
but  at  that  moment  he  seemed  to  hear  a  noise  in  the 
wood  that  sounded  to  him  like  approaching  pursuit ; 
for,  gasping  faintly,  and  pointing  in  the  direction  of 
his  fears,  his  limbs  failed  him,  and  he  would  have 
sunk  to  the  ground,  had  not  Uberto  caught  him  in 
his  arms,  and  supported  him  from  falling. 

"  '  He  has  swooned ;  help  me  to  bear  him  to  the 
cottage,  Kit,  and  we  will  get  old  Martha  to  help  us 
to  revive  him/  said  Uberto,  with  the  same  deter- 
minately  calm  manner,  as  if  he  resolved  not  to  let 
his  anxiety  master  his  power  of  being  useful  to  his 
friend. 

11  We  bore  Biondello  into  the  little  study,  and 
placed  him  on  the  oaken  settle  ;  but,  in  so  doing,  by 
some  accident  the  crimson  silk  net  became  detached, 
and  fell  upon  the  floor.  With  it  fell  the  bright  gold 
tresses  ;  they  poured  forth,  in  their  luxuriant  abun- 
dance, like  the  sun's  rays  streaming  in  at  the  lattice 
of  a  morning  chamber  ;  and  the  beautiful  woman  lay 
revealed  beyond  all  power  of  disguise. 

"  I  raised  my  eyes  to  Uberto 's  countenance,  to  see 
the  effect  of  this  sudden  discovery  upon  him.  It 
was  electrical ;  all  traces  of  his  forced  calmness  had 
vanished,  and  his  features  worked  with  uncontrollable 
emotions  of  surprise  and  agitation ;  his  lips  were 
parted,  and  quivered  sharply ;  his  nostrils  dilated, 
and  his  face  was  pale,  then  flushed  abruptly ;  his 
eyes  were  fixed  in  passionate  sadness  upon  the  lovely 


154  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

prostrate  figure  before  him ;  but  I  noticed  that  his 
appearance  betokened,  not  so  much  sympathy  and 
alarm  for  his  young  friend,  as  some  powerful  inward 
struggle  of  his  own,  with  which  he  was  contending. 
His  emotion  was  so  evident,  and  shook  him  so 
strongly,  that  I  involuntarily  exclaimed, 

"  '  Uberto  ! ' 

"  He  started  ;  then,  muttering  something  of  seek- 
ing old  Martha's  aid,  he  abruptly  lifted  one  of  the 
golden  ringlets  to  his  lips,  with  reverent  fervor,  for 
one  instant,  and  sped  from  the  room.  The  old  blind 
woman  soon  after  came  to  my  assistance,  and,  with 
some  cordial  restorative  and  a  glass  of  fair  water, 
we  tried  every  means  to  restore  our  sweet  patient. 

"  The  fainting-fit  was  obstinate,  however ;  pre- 
vious anxiety  and  alarm,  together  with  the  fatigue 
of  the  long,  hurried  walk,  had  thrown  her  into  a  deep 
swoon,  and  it  was  long  before  it  yielded  to  our  joint 
efforts.  At  length  tokens  of  returning  conscious- 
ness manifested  themselves  ;  her  eyes  opened,  and 
languidly  sought  those  of  her  friend,  her  instructor ; 
but,  perceiving  no  Uberto,  she  closed  them  faintly, 
and  leaned  against  poor  blind  Martha,  who  knelt 
beside  her,  and  uttered  soothing  words  to  the  gentle 
young  creature  who  had  once  supported  her  feeble 
steps.  The  kindly  heart,  that  had  never  repressed 
its  natural  tenderness,  or  refined  its  sympathy 
towards  the  suffering  poor,  because  they  happened 
to  be  of  inferior  station,  now  drew  comfort  from  this 
aged  crone  in  return,  and,  placing  her  arms  round 
the  old  woman's  neck,  she  suffered  the  tears  to  flow 
from  her  closed  lids,  and  laid  her  young  cheek 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  155 

Against  Martha's  withered  one,  in  simple  womanly 
claim  of  loving  consolation.  It  was  the  true  spark 
of  nature  asserting  itself,  and  proclaiming  equal 
kindred  between  prince  and  peasant,  in  the  moment 
of  mutual  sorrow  and  kindliness. 

"  I  left  them  together,  and -with  drew  to  seek 
Uberto,  somewhat  surprised  at  his  absence  during 
his  guest's  recovery,  and  not  a  little  anxious  con- 
cerning himself,  when  I  recalled  the  state  of  struggle 
and  agitation  in  which  he  had  abruptly  quitted  the 
little  study.  But  I  could  find  him  nowhere  ;  I  had 
soon  been  through  the  rooms  in  the  cottage,  and  was 
preparing  to  set  forth  and  search  the  valley  in  all  his 
wonted  places,  when  on  the  table  in  my  chamber  I 
perceived  a  paper,  addressed  to  myself.  I  snatched 
it  up,  and  read  as  follows  : 

"  '  The  struggle  is  over.  I  should  be  unworthy 
of  the  wise  teaching  of  my  venerable  instructor  and 
more  than  father  did  I  not  endeavor  to  prove  myself 
able  to  choose  integrity  and  honor  when  opposed  to 
selfish  inclination.  I  could  not  see  her,  and  refrain 
from  uttering  the  new  wild  passion  which  has  sud- 
denly sprung  from  my  old  fond  affection  for  my 
beloved  pupil.  I  now  read  the  enigma ;  she  has 
taken  her  brother's  name,  that  she  might  gain  the 
education  of  a  man.  To  you,  Kit,  I  leave  the  charge 
of  protecting  and  serving  this  noble  creature,  since 
so  dear  a  privilege  is  denied  to  me  by  a  fatal  obstacle. 
Shield  her  carefully  from  all  harm,  and  conceal  her 
from  all  eyes  in  my  humble  cottage,  as  long  as  she 
may  deem  concealment  necessary.  Should  she  in- 


156  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

quire  for  her  hapless  friend,  tell  her  that  he  is  gone 
on  an  indispensable  mission  to  old  Erudite's  house  ; 
she  need  never  know  the  motive  which  really  ban- 
ishes me  thither,  and  imperatively  bids  me  quit  Bioii- 
dello  forever  I  Once  more  let  me  call  her  by  that 
cherished  name.  Farewell,  Biondello  !  Farewell, 
kind  friend  Kit !  UBERTO.' 

"  As  I  gazed  upon  the  paper,  and  debated  with 
myself  for  a  moment  or  two  whether  I  would  pre- 
serve his  secret  or  show  the  letter  at  once  to  account 
for  his  absence,  it  struck  me  forcibly  that  mystery  is 
always  a  bad  thing,  and  to  be  avoided,  if  possible, 
and  that,  moreover,  in  the  present  case,  it  had 
already  been  productive  of  misunderstanding  and 
suffering ;  so  I  quickly  resolved  that  I  would  have 
no  reserves,  but  at  once  give  Biondello  the  power  of 
judging  fully  what  was  now  best  to  be  done.  As  I 
revolved  these  thoughts,  I  reflected  that  I  must  no 
longer  use  the  old  familiar  name  of  Biondello,  but  at 
once  recognize  the  Princess  Eudora,  by  treating  her 
with  the  observance  due  to  her  rank,  since  all  dis- 
guise was  now  at  an  end. 

"  I  entered  the  little  study,  accordingly,  with  all 
the  more  homage  in  my  heart,  as  well  as  in  my  out- 
ward bearing,  for  seeing  her  simply  seated  there  on 
the  old  oaken  settle,  in  the  dark  hunting-suit,  with 
blind  Martha,  the  object  of  her  former  kind  help,  as 
her  sole  attendant,  instead  of  occupying  a  throne, 
crowned  and  robed,  with  a  dazzling  retinue  around 
her.  Dependent  thus  on  me  alone  for  help  and  pro- 
tection, she  inspired  me  with  more  respect  and  hon- 


KIT   BAM,    MARINER.  157 

oring  admiration  than  when  I  had  beheld  her  the 
brilliant  centre  of  that  gorgeous  presence-chamber. 
I  approached  then  deferentially,  kneeling  on  one 
knee  ;  but  she  smiled,  and  raised  me,  observing  that 
a  wandering  princess  should  hold  no  state.  She 
thanked  me  with  earnestness  for  having  been  so  true 
a  knight  to  her  in  guarding  her  secret  with  so  much 
discretion,  and  then,  with  a  playfulness  which  showed 
that  her  spirits  had  revived  with  her  recovery,  yet 
with  a  blush  that  became  her  well,  she  added, 

"  'But  where  is  my  other  true  knight  and  still 
older  friend,  my  dear  master  Uberto  ?  why  is  he  not 
here  to  receive  the  thanks  of  his  pupil,  and  to  aid  his 
new  friend  in  her  difficulties  ? ; 

"  For  all  answer,  I  placed  his  letter  in  her  hands. 
Her  cheek  heightened  its  bloom  when  she  began  to 
read,  but  paled  as  she  continued. 

"  '  Gone,  and  bids  Biondello  farewell  forever  ! 7  she 
at  length  exclaimed.  '  But  this  —  "  her  brother's 
name  !  "  —  "a  fatal  obstacle  !  "  —  what  may  this 
mean  ?  '  added  she. 

"  I  explained  that  Uberto  had  always  believed  his 
mysterious  pupil  to  be  no  other  than  Lord  Ignorio's 
son,  Count  Biondello  ;  that  he  now,  doubtless,  con- 
cluded her  to  be  the  Lady  Ellena,  Count  Biondello's 
sister  ;  and  that  the  well-known  circumstance  of  the 
Lady  Ellena's  betrothment  to  Baron  Feroccio  was, 
most  probably,  the  '  fatal  obstacle '  to  which  he 
alluded. 

11  '  Fatal  mystery  ! '  exclaimed  Eudora  ;  '  why  did 
I  not  trust  entirely  one  so  virtuous  and  high-minded 
as  the  noble  Uberto  ?  0,  my  dear  master,  my  kind 


158  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

instructor  !  why  are  you  not  here  to  save  your  poor 
Biondello  ? ' 

"  The  princess  then  told  me  that  she  had  come 
hither  that  afternoon  with  the  intention  of  seeking 
the  aid  of  Uberto  and  myself,  arid  of  asking  his 
counsel  and  judgment  to  assist  her  and  her  father  in 
this%  emergency  of  the  popular  insurrection. 

11 1  bid  her  highness  avail  herself  to  the  utmost 
of  her  true  knight's  poor  services,  which,  though 
humble,  were  heartily  proffered ;  and  she,  with  that 
blended  gentleness  and  dignity,  sweetness  and  grace, 
which  distinguished  her,  saying  that  one  faithful 
warm  heart  was  of  more  value  to  a  prince  than  a 
hundred  lukewarm  swords,  it  was  agreed  upon  be- 
tween us  that  I  should,  on  the  morrow,  set  forth  to 
the  mansion  of  old  Erudito  in  search  of  Uberto,  and 
entreat  his  return  in  her  name. 

"  But  it  is  very  late,  my  young  friends,"  said  the 
old  mariner,  breaking  off;  "  it  is  nearly  time  you 
were  going  to  bed,  as  the  Princess  Eudora  did,  at- 
tended by  old  Martha ;  and,  though  the  roof  was 
humble,  and  her  attendant  poor  and  blind,  yet,  had 
she  not  been  kept  awake  by  anxiety,  it  is  probable 
that  she  would  have  enjoyed  as  sound  sleep  in  the 
cottage,  after  the  fatigues  of  the  day,  as  she  had 
ever  done  in  her  father's  palace." 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  159 


CHAPTER    VI. 

KIT   GOES   IN   SEARCH   OF  UBEETO.  • —  THE   MANSION  OF  OLD  ERUDITO. 

QUADRAT  A.  —  THE     RETURN     TO     THE     CITY.  — -  KIT     SETS    SAIL 

AGAIN. THE   GRANITE   ISLAND.  —  THE   HORSE   OF   BRASS. THE 

FEAST   OF   THE   SATYRS. 

"  Now  for  the  disguised  princess  !  "  exclaimed 
Fanny,  as  she  and  her  brother  took  their  usual 
places  in  Kit's  cottage,  the  next  evening. 

"  Did  you  find  Uberto  at  his  uncle's  house,  Kit  ?  " 
inquired  Dick. 

"  The  next  morning/'  answered  the  old  man,  "just 
as  I  was  setting  out  from  the  cottage,  to  proceed  in 
quest  of  him,  I  beheld  a  large  troop  of  horsemen 
enter  the  valley,  and,  by  the  time  I  had  returned  to 
inform  the  princess  of  their  approach,  they  swelled 
into  a  large  train,  that,  with  much  pomp  and  cere- 
mony, marshalled  its  way  straightforwards  in  the 
direction  of  the  cottage. 

"  The  princess,  perceiving  at  once  that  they  were 
aware  of  her  presence  there,  and  were,  in  all  proba- 
bility, envoys  charged  with  some  message  to  her,  as 
their  peaceful  procession  indicated  no  hostile  ap- 
proach, she  bid  me  inquire  their  will,  and,  if  it  were 
as  she  supposed,  to  usher  the  heralds  into  her  pres- 
ence at  once.  When  I  had  obeyed  her  instructions, 
I  found  that  she  had  divined  truly  the  object  of  their 


160          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

coming.  Two  reverend  men,  elders  of  the  city,  who 
headed  the  procession,  dismounted  from  their  horses, 
and  entered  the  little  study,  where  they  found  the 
princess  awaiting  their  approach  with  simple,  unaf- 
fected dignity.  They  must  have  been  well  pleased 
to  have  found  her  thus,  surrounded  by  the  books  from 
whjich  she  had  reaped  such  fruitful  harvest  and  col- 
lected so  manifold  and  valuable  stores  of  knowledge  ; 
for  it  proved  that  they  came  as  representatives  of 
their  fellow-citizens7  wishes  that  the  Princess  Eudora 
should  assume  the  crown  and  govern  them  in  future 
by  virtue  of  the  wisdom  she  had  acquired,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  dictates  of  her  own  discreet,  virtuous> 
and  gentle  nature.  It  appeared  that  her  merits  had 
gained  her  the  hearts  of  the  people,  and  that,  when 
they  had. revolted  against  a  military  tyranny,  and  had 
refused  longer  submission  to  the  ignorant  and  narrow- 
minded  sway  of  Lord  Ignorio,  who,  they  felt,  gov- 
erned them  in  reality,  through  the  medium  of  his 
influence  over  the  weak  old  king,  their  nominal 
sovereign,  they  determined  to  enforce  the  minister's 
resignation,  the  foolish  monarch's  abdication,  and  to 
raise  the  Princess  Eudora  to  the  throne,  secure  of 
their  rights  beneath  her  mild  rule  and  wise  judg- 
ment. 

"But  she  asked  them,  in  reply ,  how  they  thought 
she  would  prove  herself  wise  and  virtuous  by  accept- 
ing a  throne  which  her  parent  had  just  been  com- 
pelled to  abdicate  ;  or  how  she  would  be  likely  to 
confirm  their  partial  opinion  of  her,  were  she  to  wear 
a  crown  so  lately  stript  from  the  brows  of  her  old 
father.  Would  these  acts  give  earnest  of  present 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  161 

merit  in  her,  or  afford  promise  of  future  happiness  to 
them  ?  She  entreated  her  loving  countrymen  to  re- 
consider their  proposal,  and  to  reflect  upon  one  which 
she  had  to  make  to  them  in  return.  This  was,  that, 
as  they  had  banished  Lord  Ignorio  from  his  station 
of  prime  minister,  because  they  traced  their  chief 
wrongs  to  his  injudicious  counsels  and  his  baneful 
influence  with  the  king,  she  proposed  that  "they 
should  elect  a  new  minister  in  the  late  one's  stead, 
whose  known  worth  and  tried  wisdom  would  insure 
that  his  guiding  aid  and  valuable  suggestions  should 
always  be  skilfully  and  beneficially  employed  in 
directing  the  king  to  promote  the  welfare  of  his  liege 
subjects. 

"  Seeing  approval  and  admiration  of  her  filial  con- 
duct depicted  in  the  countenances  of  the  two  reverend 
envoys,  the  princess  proposed  to  return  with  them 
forthwith,  and  accompany  them  back  to  the  city  in 
person.  On  leaving  the  cottage,  and  preparing  to 
mount  the  white  palfrey  which  they  had  brought  with 
them  in  the  hope  of  prevailing  on  their  chosen  sove- 
reign to  return  at  once,  the  princess  was  received 
with  a  burst  of  acclamation  from  the  numbers  who 
formed  the  procession,  and  she  was  escorted  back  to 
the  city  in  triumph.  Arrived  at  the  palace,  she 
hastened  to  her  old  father,  and,  leading  him  from  the 
chamber  where  he  had  been  kept  under  a  sort  of 
guard,  respectful  but  strict,  until  the  ultimate  deci- 
sion of  the  princess  and  the  people  should  be  made 
known,  she  led  him  to  a  window  that  overlooked  a 
spacious  square,  which  was  now  thronged  by  a  vast 
concourse  of  the  inhabitants  ;  and  here  she  addressed 
11 


162          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

the  people  in  behalf  of  her  father,  conjuring  them  to 
return  to  their  allegiance,  and  not  to  force  her  to 
reign  by  an  act  of  filial  outrage,  but  to  let  her  be  still 
a  faithful  daughter  and  their  loving  princess.  She 
repeated  her  proposal  to  elect  a  new  minister,  whose 
worthy  counsels  should  inspire  and  aid  their  aged 
sovereign,  and  ended  by  proposing  to  them,  as  a  fit 
person  to  fill  the  important  office  of  state  counsellor 
and  prime  minister,  the  nephew  of  the  well-known 
sage  and  philosopher,  Erudito. 

"  When  the  shout  of  applause  which  rung  through 
the  multitude  at  the  conclusion  of  the  princess'  ad- 
dress ceased,  and  the  color  which  had  mounted  to 
her  cheek  as  she  spoke  subsided  also,  she  resumed 
with  fresh  energy,  as  if  resolved  that  no  private  emo- 
tion should  interfere  with  the  public  tribute  due  to 
the  excellences  of  her  friend  and  master,  and  she 
went  on  to  say,  with  modest  firmness  :  '  We  would 
have  entreated  the  venerable  Erudito  himself  to 
come  and  aid  us,  my  friends,  had  he  been  younger 
and  more  able  to  endure  the  fatigues  of  public  life  ; 
as  it  is,  his  wise  retirement  and  prudent  devotion  to 
study  and  quiet  leisure  plainly  evince  that  such  a 
sacrifice  ought  not  to  be  asked  at  his  hands  ;  but  his 
nephew,  gifted  by  nature,  educated  by  his  learned 
relative,  generous  in  heart,  sound  in  principle,  simple 
in  conduct,  in  the  full  vigor  of  youthful  manhood, 
and  capable  of  highest  self-devotion, —  he  is  the  very 
being  of  all  others  fitted  to  be  your  prime  minister, 
the  guardian  of  his  country's  welfare  and  honor,  and 
the  counsellor  of  your  aged  monarch.7 

"The  Princess  Eudora  retired  amid  the  acclama- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  163 

tions  of  the  people  ;  and  the  news  soon  rung  through 
the  city  that  the  old  king  was  restored  to  his  throne, 
—  that  Erudito's  nephew,  Uberto,  was  to  be  elected 
prime  minister, —  and  that  their  beloved  Eudora,  by 
choosing  to  remain  but  a  princess  at  present,  was 
proving  herself  still  more  worthy  to  be  a  queen 
hereafter. 

"  When  she  had  a  little  recovered  from  her  late 
excitement,  I  ventured  to  ask  permission  to  approach 
the  couch  where  she  lay,  and  proffered  what  I  guessed 
would  be  the  best  restorative  to  her  spirits  and  in- 
ward hope.  I  offered  my  services  to  set  out  imme- 
diately to  fetch  Uberto,  and  inform  him  of  what  had 
happened.  The  princess  smiled  her  old  gentle  smile, 
and  said,  in  those  winning  tones  that  I  had  so  loved 
in  Biondello,  '  My  true  knight  still !  to  offer  to  de- 
part even  at  this  hour  !  Faithful,  kind  heart ! 7  Then 
she  added,  in  a  lower  voice,  '  Tell  him  nothing,  but 
of  the  call  his  countrymen  make  upon  his  services  ; 
that  will  suffice  to  rouse  his  noble  heart,  I  know. 
Once  again, —  silence  and  discretion/ 

"  '  No  token  from  Biondello  ?  Not  a  word  V  in- 
quired I,  wishing  to  take  some  comfort  to  my  friend, 
and  emboldened  by  the  thought  of  his  suffering 
letter. 

"  Eudora  paused  for  an  instant  in  maiden  hesita- 
tion, then  faltered,  '  Tell  him  that  Biondello  is 
safely  returned  to  his  friends,  and  happy,  could  he 
but  once  see  the  old  days  again,  when  he  sat  by  the 
side  of  his  master  in  Uberto's  little  study/ 

"  I  knelt  to  kiss  her  hand,  and  set  forth  imme- 
diately ;  for  the  afternoon  was  far  advanced,  and  I 


164 


THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 


feared  that  evening  would  close  in  before  I  could 
proceed  far  on  my  journey  ;  so  that  I  should  have  to 
pass  the  night  in  the  wild  and  desolate  district  which 
I  had  heard  lay  between  the  city  and  the  place  where 
old  Erudito  had  chosen  his  retirement. 

"  At  first  my  way  was  pleasant  enough  ;  it  led 
across  the  peaceful  valley  that  I  knew  so  well,  where 
Uberto's  cottage  was  situated,  and  where  I  had  spent 
so  many  pleasant  hours  with  that  kind  and  noble 
friend.  His  flock  were  nibbling  their  green  supper, 
as  I  passed,  and  I  thought  of  their  absent  master,  as 
I  looked  at  the  lad  who  had  been  left  in  charge  of 
the  fleecy  creatures  by  the  thoughtful  provision  of 
Eudora  ;  she  had  desired  him  to  remain  here,  not 
only  as  shepherd,  but  in  order  that  Martha  might 
have  some  one  with  her  in  the  cottage  at  night, 
the  faithful  blind  woman  staying  to  take  care  of  the 
home  of  her  kind  master,  and  arrange  his  books 
against  his  return,  which  she  fondly  hoped  would 
not  be  long  delayed. 

/'  When  I  reached  the  foot  of  the  mountain  range 
that  rose  abruptly  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley, 
I  turned  to  gaze  once  more  on  the  tranquil  spot, 
praying  that  I  might  be  destined  to  return  to  it  ere 
long  with  my  friend  ;  and,  as  my  eye  rested  on  the 
minarets  and  spires  of  the  distant  city  beyond,  that 
lay  bathed  in  the  last  rich  glow  of  the  departing 
w  Astern  sun,  I  joined  that  other  noble-hearted  being 
in  my  aspirations,  and  blended  their  joint  names  in 
my  prayers  for  their  happiness.  Then  turning  to  the 
east,  which  looked  as  if  its  dark  blue  sky  had  deep- 
ened many  shades  during  the  few  moments  that  I 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  165 

had  turned  my  gaze  upon  the  splendors  of  the  sun- 
set, I  began  my  toilsome  ascent,  trusting  to  the 
active  exertion  requisite  in  attaining  the  summit  for 
sufficient  warmth  to  protect  me  against  the  sharp, 
chilling  wind  that  was  beginning  to  be  perceptible  in 
this  mountainous  region,  and  to  spring  up  with  the 
decline  of  day.  My  path  became  more  rugged  and 
difficult  as  it  became  more  steep,  but  I  knew  I  could 
not  wander  far  from  my  right  road,  as  I  had  heard 
Uberto  mention  that  his  uncle 's  abode  lay  due  east 
from  the  cottage,  and  after  the  sun  set  I  could  guide 
my  course  by  the  stars,  which  fortunately  shone  out 
soon  after. 

"  As  night  came  on,  the  way  grew  wilder  and 
wilder ;  I  could  distinguish  yawning  caverns  and 
deep  rifts  and  chasms  on  either  side  of  me,  that 
spread  wide  their  hollow  jaws,  as  if  they  were  gi- 
gantic animals  standing  ready  to  devour  me  ;  gloomy 
pine-trees  waved  their  spiring  bodies  to  and  fro  in 
the  night- wind,  as  if  mocking  and  beckoning  to  me  ; 
lofty,  towering  rocks  sprung  up  sheer  from  the  side 
of  the  narrow  ledge  on  which  I  sometimes  had  to 
make  my  way,  and  threatening  cliffs  overhung  their 
mighty  heads  above  me,  as  if  nodding  destruction 
from  their  stony  sleep.  Ever  and  anon,  I  was  star- 
tled by  the  sharp  cry  of  some  bird  of  prey,  that 
flapped  its  powerful  wings  and  sailed  across  a  neigh- 
boring ravine,  roused  by  my  approach  and  the  un- 
usual echo  of  a  human  footstep  ;  and  then,  at  in- 
tervals, I  heard  the  prolonged  howl  of  the  wolf,  the 
wailing,  discordant  yell  of  the  hyena,  with  its  hor- 
rible mingling  of  weeping  complaint  and  malicious 


166  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

laughter,  and  once  I  heard  the  deep  roar  of  a  distant 
lion.  I  looked  up  hopefully,  beyond  the  crags  and 
caverns,  into  the  blue  sky,  that  covered  all  with  its 
blessed  canopy,  and  kept  my  heart  firm,  in  the  midst 
of  that  wild  scene,  by  thinking  of  the  friend  who 
had  so  lately  passed  through  it,  sustained  only  by 
just  principle,  and  a  consciousness  of  doing  what  he 
felt  to  be  right  and  honorable.  '  And  shall  I,  who 
possess  hope  of  coming  happiness  for  those  I  love, 
to  support  and  encourage  me,  be  less  brave-hearted 
than  he  ?  Let  me  be  worthy  of  his  example,  of  his 
hospitable  kindness  to  the  shipwrecked  mariner,  and 
let  me  go  boldly  on  to  carry  tidings  of  joy  to  his 
stranded  hopes.7 

"  Such  thoughts  as  these  elevated  and  strength- 
ened me,  and  led  me  trustfully  on  through  the  per- 
ilous path  of  that  lonely  night,  and,  when  morning 
dawned,  I  found  myself  but  a  few  hours'  journey 
from  the  mansion  of  old  Erudito.  Mayhap  about 
eleven  o'clock  I  reached  his  abode,  which  was  a 
quaint,  curious  building,  of  irregular  form,  sur- 
mounted by  a  lofty  observatory,  and  situated  in  the 
very  heart  of  this  remote  and  solitary  region.  I 
knocked  at  a  small  wicket  that  stood  in  one  angle 
of  the  rough  wall  that  enclosed  the  tenement,  and, 
after  waiting  a  few  moments,  the  gate  was  opened 
by  an  odd  little  figure,  that  looked  singularly  in 
keeping  with  the  quaintness  of  all  around.  It  was 
that  of  a  little  squat  girl,  with  a  square  face,  set  upon 
square  shoulders,  which  surmounted  as  square  a 
skirt,  terminated  by  two  splay  feet  with  square  toes. 
Ker  face  looked  as  if  it  were  covered  with  strained 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  167 

parchment,  instead  of  skin,  in  the  middle  of  which 
was  stuck  a  small  flat  nose  ;  her  eyes  looked  like 
two  pierced  holes,  and  her  mouth  like  a  straight  slit 
cut  across  the  said  parchment  with  a  pair  of  scissors. 
I  think  I  never  beheld  a  more  ugly  little  body  in  all 
my  life  ;  for,  though  she  seemed  not  to  be  more  than 
eighteen,  she  had  none  of  the  grace  or  beauty  that 
mere  youth  itself  bestows  on  the  person.  She  bobbed 
a  quick  little  ducking  curtsey,  in  reply  to  my  inquir- 
ies, and  led  me  into  the  house,  while  she  went  to 
inform  her  old  master  of  my  arrival.  She  had  not 
waddled  away  above  two  minutes,  when  I  heard  a 
quick,  firm  step,  and  in  another  moment  my  hand 
was  warmly  grasped  in  that  of  Uberto.  He  took 
me,  at  once,  to  his  uncle's  study,  where  the  vener- 
able sage  greeted  me  with  a  cordiality  and  energetic 
kindness  that  contrasted  well  with  the  snows  of  age 
crowning  his  reverend  head,  and  showed  how  green 
and  fresh  philosophy  keeps  the  hearts  of  her  votaries. 
As  vivid  and  as  keen,  too,  did  the  feelings  of  this 
old  man  prove  themselves  still  to  be,  when  I  dis- 
closed the  object  of  my  mission,  and  told  him  of  the 
universal  call  made  by  his  countrymen  upon  the 
talents  and  virtues  of  his  nephew  ;  how  they  looked 
to  him  as  the  future  guardian  of  their  best  interests, 
and  how  his  sovereign  confirmed  their  election  by 
his  own  wishes  to  have  Uberto  as  his  prime  minister. 
Seeing  that  his  nephew  hesitated,  Erudito  said  : 

'"Demur  not,  my  son.  Obey  the  call  of  your 
countrymen,  and  prepare  to  fill  the  honorable  post 
they  assign  you.  Far  from  me  would  it  be  to  coun- 
sel you  to  seek  the  paths  of  ambition,  and  quit  the 


168  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

peaceful  haunts  of  simple,  rural  life,  and  calm,  con- 
templative study,  for  the  delusive  hope  of  rising  as 
a  statesman.  But  summoned,  as  you  are,  to  the 
helm  of  the  government,  by  the  people's  confidence 
in  your  virtue  and  their  conviction  of  your  ability, 
you  have  no  right  to  withstand  the  appeal ;  it  is  your 
duty  to  respond,  and  accept  it,  with  steadfast  faith 
and  modest  reliance  on  your  own  purity  of  con- 
science, and  high  resolve  to  devote  yourself  solely 
to  the  promotion  of  their  welfare.7 

"  '  But  the  motive  which  banished  me  hither  — 
faltered  Uberto. 

"  '  It  was  a  worthy  one,  and  acted  upon  in  the 
spirit  of  self-denial  and  strict  rectitude,  my  son/  re- 
plied the  sage  ;  '  but  I  feel  by  no  means  sure  that 
it  was  not  hastily  and  inconclusively  formed,  and 
that,  if  your  mind  had  had  longer  time  to  exercise 
its  judgment,  you  might  not  have  resolved  upon 
absence,  as  a  necessary  sacrifice  on  your  part/ 

"  The  young  man  looked  into  his  uncle's  eyes, 
where  played  a  benignant  light,  almost  amounting  to 
a  smile  ;  then,  turning  to  me,  he  murmured, 

"'AndBiondello?' 

"  I  repeated  the  precise  words  I  had  been  bid  to 
use  as  BiondehVs  message  ;  and  Uberto,  uttering  one 
deep  sigh,  merely  said, 

"  '  Be  it  so  !  The  good  of  my  native  land  must  be  my 
hope  now.  In  that  I  '11  find  my  happiness  and  life.7 

"  Once  resolved,  he  lost  no  time  in  setting  out, 
and,  after  taking  a  cordial  leave  of  old  Erudito,  who 
gave  me  a  small  volume,  of  curious  worth,  as  a 
parting  gift,  we  left  his  mansion  on  our  way  home. 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  169 

The  path  through  the  mountains,  viewed  by  daylight, 
and  in  the  company  of  a  friend,  seemed  far  less  wild 
and  perilous  than  it  did  in  the  lonely  night-time,  and 
Uberto  beguiled  its  tedium  by  cheerful  conversation 
and  animated  discussion.  He  seemed  to  avoid,  with 
peculiar  care,  all  allusion  to  the  agitating  scene 
which  had  preceded  his  departure  from  his  cottage 
home,  as  if  he  did  not  choose  to  trust  himself  with 
so  interesting  a  subject ;  but  he  spoke  frankly  of  his 
hopes  of  filling  his  new  appointment  worthily  and 
beneficially,  of  his  venerable  relative  Erudito,  of  the 
young  heart  and  mind  that  dwelt  in  his  old  frame, 
and  of  his  contented  solitude,  where  he  saw  no  hu- 
man being  but  Quadrata,  the  odd  little  damsel  I  had 
seen  on  my  arrival. 

"  I  smiled  involuntarily,  as  I  recollected  this  quaint 
little  fright,  and  Uberto,  observing  it,  said, 

"  '  Ay,  to  you,  who  know  nothing  of  her  but  her 
strange  ugliness,  I  don't  wonder  at  your  smiling  at 
my  uncle's  choice  of  a  handmaiden  ;  but  he,  with 
the  eyes  of  true  wisdom,  can  descry  the  loveliness  of 
honesty,  cheerful  activity,  faithful  service,  soft  nurs- 
ing, thoughtful  tendance,  zealous  care,  watchful  as- 
siduity, and  constancy  of  attachment,  beneath  the 
parchment  skin  and  angular  figure  of  poor  little 
Quadrata.' 

"We  reached  the  valley  towards  nightfall,  and 
Uberto  resolved  to  remain  at  the  cottage  till  morn- 
ing, when  he  might  present  himself  to  his  sovereign, 
at  the  palace,  and  tender  in  person  his  required  de- 
votion and  service. 

"  Accordingly,  next  day  we  proceeded  to  the  court, 


170          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

and  were  at  once,  ushered  into  the  royal  presence. 
All  was  precisely  as  I  had  beheld  that  brilliant  scene 
on  a  former  occasion  ;  but  the  figure  that  occupied 
the  couch  by  the  side  of  the  old  king  was  now  veiled 
not  only  by  her  luxuriant  shining  hair,  but  was 
covered  from  head  to  foot  by  a  gauze  of  golden 
fabric  that  fell  in  bright  folds  to  the  very  floor. 
Uberto  stood  forth  with  firm,  manly  dignity  in  that 
august  assembly,  his  handsome  intellectual  head 
and  simple  attire  forming  no  inapt  contrast  with  the 
glittering  crowd  that  stood  around.  It  seemed  as 
if  the  shepherd-god,  Apollo,  had  descended  amidst 
mortals  to  assist  and  guide  them  with  the  glorious 
wisdom  they  lacked. 

"  With  noble  yet  modest  words,  Uberto  then  knelt 
and  tendered  his  services  to  his  country  and  his 
sovereign,  and  vowed  to  devote  them  zealously  arid 
faithfully  in  so  righteous  a  behalf  to  his  life's  end. 

"  The  aged  monarch  raised  him,  accepting  him  as 
the  minister  chosen  by  the  voice  of  the  people,  and 
welcomed  by  himself;  adding  that  it  had  been  further 
resolved  that  the  hand  of  the  Princess  Eudora,  his 
daughter,  should  be  conferred  upon  him  in  marriage, 
to  strengthen  his  attachment  to  the  throne  and  the 
interests  of  the  kingdom,  by  an  alliance  with  the 
heiress-apparent  to  the  crown. 

"  '  In  choosing  such  a  husband  for  my  child/  said 
the  old  king,  in  conclusion,  '  my  people  secure  to  her 
a  more  congenial  consort  than  I  formerly  meditated 
in  the  son  of  Lord  Ignorio,  and  to  themselves  in 
future  a  wiser  monarch  than  I  fear  I  have  made 
them  ;  but  I  shall  thus  have  the  comfort,  in  my  old 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  171 

age,  of  seeing  the  happiness  of  my  daughter  and  of 
my  people  both  insured.7 

"  Uberto  paused,  as  if  grieved  to  respond  to  these 
gracious  words  of  his  sovereign  by  aught  but  grate- 
ful acquiescence :  but,  collecting  fortitude  from  a 
conviction  of  what  was  the  only  righteous  course  for 
the  sake  of  all  parties,  he,  in  simple  but  firm  words, 
avowed  that  he  was  compelled  to  decline  the  in- 
tended honor  of  the  princess7  alliance,  for  that  his 
affections  were  irrevocably  fixed  upon  another  ob- 
ject. 

"'Let  not  your  majesty  or  her  highness  reflect 
upon  me  for  my  sincerity/  he  said.  'Feeling  as  I 
do  that  my  attachment,  though  hopeless,  is  eternal, 
I  do  not  dare  to  outrage  the  princess  by  marrying 
her  to  a  man  with  a  dead  heart.  I  have  bid  adieu 
forever  to  love,  and  devote  myself  to  patriotism 
alone. ; 

"He  knelt,  inclining  lowly  and  reverently  to  the 
veiled  princess,  and  withdrew  from  the  presence. 

"  As  we  passed  through  a  long  gallery  of  the 
palace,  a  young  page  followed  us  hastily,  and  said 
that  he  was  charged  to  request  we  would  follow  him 
to  an  apartment  where  the  person  who  sent  him  de- 
sired an  interview  with  Uberto  and  myself. 

"  Somewhat  surprised,  we  obeyed,  and  found  our- 
selves led  into  a  large  ante-room,  at  one  end  of 
which  there  was  a  small  door,  towards  which  the 
page  mutely  pointed,  and  withdrew.  Uberto  looked 
at  me  for  an  instant,  then  advanced  towards  the 
small  door,  which  he  opened,  and  we  beheld  the 
little  cottage  study,  its  humble  walls,  its  shelves  of 


172          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

well-worn  books,  its  simple  wooden  table,  and  the 
old  oaken  settle  —  all,  as  if  suddenly  transported  by 
magic  within  the  walls  of  the  palace.  Uberto  sprung 
forward  ;  for  on  the  oaken  settle  lay  the  well-known 
dark  velvet  hunting-suit,  and  the  crimson  silk  net  that 
bound  the  temples  of  his  beloved  pupil.  He  seized 
it  passionately,  and,  pressing  it  to  his  lips,  cried, 
'  Biondello  —  dear,  dear  Biondello  ! ' 

"  '  I  am  here  ! '  murmured  the  soft  toaes  of  a  voice 
close  beside  him. 

"  He  raised  his  eyes,  and  beheld  the  veiled  prin- 
cess, who  had  glided  quietly  into  the  room  mean- 
while. Uberto' s  gaze  fastened  upon  the  golden 
screen  from  beneath  which  he  had  heard  the  sounds 
that  thrilled  to  his  heart's  core.  '  Biondello' s  voice ! ' 
he  exclaimed. 

"'I  am  here  !  '  was  again  breathed  gently,  as  the 
veil  of  golden  tissue  fell  at  her  feet,  and  the  natural 
veil  of  golden  tresses  alone  shaded  the  beautiful 
blushing  face  of  Biondello.  Eudora,  Uberto' s  pupil, 
friend,  and  mistress,  all  revealed  in  one  ! 

"  He  knelt  to  receive  assurance  of  the  delicious 
truth ;  while  she,  eager  to  reward  his  self-denying 
honor  and  loving  constancy,  told  him  all  her  story, 
from  her  early  thirst  for  knowledge,  feeling  its  neces- 
sity to  enable  her  worthily  to  fulfil  her  "high  destiny  ; 
her  seeking  his  cottage  in  obedience  to  her  dying 
mother's  injunctions  ;  her  assuming  disguise  that  she 
might  gain  the  sterling  education  of  a  man,  the 
better  to  fit  her  for  reigning  hereafter  ;  her  adopting 
the  name  of  him  once  destined  for  her  husband ;  her 
studying  so  happily  in  the  cottage  under  the  tuition 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  173 

of  her  shepherd-master ;  her  seeking  his  aid ;  her 
grief  at  his  flight ;  her  joy  at  his  return,  doubled  and 
trebled  by  his  noble  refusal  of  Eudora  for  the  sake 
of  the  lost  Biondello  ;  —  all,  all  was  told,  up  to  the 
very  moment  when  she  had  prepared  this  blissful 
surprise  for  him  in  the  very  scene  of  their  former 
happy  pursuits. 

"'I  have  had  this  room  fitted  up  for  my  study, 
Uberto/  added  she  ;  '  the  very  model,  as  you  see,  of 
our  peaceful,  happy  one  in  the  cottage.  Here,  when 
wearied  with  cares  of  state,  or  oppressed  with  the 
splendors  and  hollow  grandeur  of  court  life,  will  we 
repair  to  seek  in  quiet  reading  and  placid  contempla- 
tion repose  and  refreshment.  Here,  too,  in  this 
humble  study,  and  from  these  well-worn  books,  may 
we  gather  wholesome  lessons  of  modesty,  self-scru- 
tiny, and  gentle  forbearance  towards  others,  as  well 
as  comfort,  hope,  and  gratitude,  towards  the  bounte- 
ous Giver  of  all  good.7 

"  It  was  not  long  before  I  had  the  pleasure  of  wi1> 
nessing  the  completion  of  the  happiness  of  my  friend 
Uberto  in  his  marriage  with  the  Princess  Eudora. 
But,  after  the  nuptials,  which  were  celebrated  with 
great  magnificence,  and  amid  the  universal  rejoicings 
of  the  people,  my  old  love  of  wandering  returned 
upon  me  with  its  usual  force  ;  and  now  that  I  could 
no  longer  hope  to  be  of  any  use  to  my  friends,  I 
asked  and  obtained  permission  to  leave  the  court, 
and  once  more  go  to  sea.  My  generous  friends 
would  fain  have  loaded  me  with  rich  gifts  and  costly 
tokens  of  their  remembrance  ;  but  I  said  that  at  my 
age,  and  with  my  wandering  tastes,  I  could  have  no 


1*T4  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

possible  use  for  wealth  ;  however,  I  told  the  princess 
that  there  was  ione  precious  gift  in  her  power  to 
bestow  upon  me,  if  she  would  pardon  the  presump- 
tion of  my  solicitation  in  consideration  of  the  rever- 
ential love  which  dictated  the  request.  Her  gentle 
voice  and  smile  then  encouraged  me  to  beg  for  one 
of  those  shining  tresses,  as  a  memorial  of  the  touch- 
ing scenes  with  which  they  were  so  tenderly  asso- 
ciated, —  scenes  in  which  I  had  once  borne  a  part, 
and  which  would  ever  be  remembered  by  me  with 
affectionate  interest  and  love  for  my  two  dear  and 
honored  friends. 

"  She  turned,  with  her  usual  dignity  and  winning 
grace,  towards  her  husband,  saying,  '  Those  tresses 
are  all  Uberto's  now  ;  but  he  shall  sever  one  for  you, 
and  it  shall  be  our  joint  gift.7  And,  when  her  hus- 
band divided  the  lock  from  her  fair  head,  she  placed 
it  in  a  small  crystal  locket,  set  round  with  large  dia- 
monds, which  she  took  from  her  bosom,  and,  placing 
the  chain  which  held  it  round  my  neck,  she  said, 
'  The  contents  I  know  you  will  keep  ever,  for  the 
sake  of  your  loving  friends  ;  but  promise  me,  Kit, 
that,  should  you  at  any  future  time  want  money,  you 
will  convert  the'se  gems  into  a  more  available  shape 
for  use  than  they  are  at  present,  which  will  do  well 
enough  now  as  a  small  compass  for  a  sailor's  hoard, 
and  permit  of  his  carrying  it  always  about  his  per- 
son. Farewell  ;  think  sometimes  of  your  friends 
Uberto  and  Eudora,  as  they  often  will  of  their  true 
knight  Kit.' 

"  The  ship  in  which  I  now  set  sail  could  boast  of 
a  very  superior  crew  to  those  among  whom  I  had 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  175 

last  been  in  company.  They  were  a  light-hearted, 
excellent  set  of  fellows,  with  a  good-natured  captain 
at  their  head,  arid  I  spent  my  time  very  easily  and 
agreeably  among  them.  Indeed,  on  recalling  to 
memory  their  many  good  qualities  and  sociable  dis- 
position, I  cannot  reconcile  their  conduct  in  sailing 
away  without  me  with  what  I  remember  of  the;r 
general  behavior.  For  it  was  this  very  ship  that  I 
told  you  of  in  my  first  yarn,  that  sailed  away  and 
left  me  on  the  Island  of  False  Appearances.  I  can 
only  account  for  it  by  imagining  that  they  thought 
I  had  fallen  a  victim  to  the  fatal  streamlet,  as  well  as 
my  unfortunate  companions/' 

11  0,  then,  now  we  shall  hear  what  you  did  when 
you  got  away  from  the  malicious  dwarf,  by  the  help 
of  the  amiable  giant,"  said  Dick  Swallow. 

"Yes,"  replied  Kit;  "I  may  as  well  go  on  at 
once  from  that  period  of  my  history,  for  no  particular 
adventure  happened  to  me  in  the  interval  of  our 
leaving  the  country  of  King  Imbecilio,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  frightful  drought  from  which  we  suf- 
fered for  some  days  previous  to  our  arriving  at  the 
island,  where  we  landed  in  search  of  fresh  water,  as 
I  mentioned  to  you.  The  remembrance  of  that  dread- 
ful thirst,  and  its  accompanying  evils,  even  now 
comes  over  me  with  a  horrible  sense  of  pain  when- 
ever it  crosses  my  mind.  The  sea  and  sky  were  of 
one  lurid  copper  hue,  and  seemed  to  spread  in  scorch- 
ing sheets  of  blazing  metallic  substance  around  us,  re- 
flecting fierce,  unrelenting  defiance  upon  our  parched 
mouths  and  blistered  skins.  Burning  heat  glowed 
above  with  intolerable  fervor  upon  our  aching  heads, 


1*76  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

and  languid,  moistureless  eyeballs,  that  sought  relief 
in  vain  from  the  waters  below,  which  seemed  but  a 
vast  dazzling  mirror,  ^doubling  and  intensifying  the 
surrounding  furnace.  Fevered  and  exhausted  by 
exposure  to  such  sufferings,  no  wonder  that  my  two 
comrades  rashly  sought  relief  at  all  risks,  and  em- 
braced even  death  in  the  shape  of  irresistible  fresh, 
cool,  delicious  spring-water. 

"  But,  to  resume  the  thread  of  my  yarn  :  When  I 
quitted  the  shore  in  the  boat  that  afternoon,  I  had  a 
notion  that  I  was  among  a  sort  of  cluster  of  islands, 
that  did  not  lie  very  far  apart  from  each  other  in 
those  seas  ;  so  I  rowed  away  for  some  time  straight 
from  the  land  I  had  just  left,  in  the  hope  that  I  might 
reach  some  other  before  evening  should  close  in. 
Night,  however,  came  on  while  I  was  still  in  the 
open  sea,  and  naught  could  I  see  but  water  around 
me  and  sky  above.  The  blue  arch  of  heaven  deep- 
ened and  deepened  the  tone  of  its  azure  expanse,  and 
then  out  carne  the  blessed  stars  to  cheer  and  revive 
me  with  their  hopeful  eyes.  I  gazed  towards  those 
countless  orbs,  and  let  my  spirit  take  free  range 
amid  the  firmament,  where  a  supreme  law  appoints 
their  mighty  course,  and  bids  them  shed  consoling 
radiance  upon  the  humblest  midnight  wanderer. 
From  the  trackless  paths  of  ocean,  from  the  dreary 
waste  of  waters,  as  from  the  stifling  crowds  and  most 
populous  haunts  of  his  fellow-mortals,  may  the  spirit 
of  man  ascend  in  yearning  aspiration  on  a  starry 
night ;  and,  seeking  communion  with  those  sublime 
creations  of  the  Almighty  in  their  unfathomable 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  177 

remoteness,  feel  himself  elevated  as  if  to  the  presence 
of  his  God. 

"My  soul  strengthened  and  my  arm  nerved  by 
this  contemplation,  I  rowed  stoutly  on,  till  suddenly 
I  became  aware  that  I  was  nearing  land,  though  it 
seemed  to  be  sterile  and  unpromising,  so  far  as  I 
could  discern  by  starlight. 

"  The  shore  seemed  to  be  composed  of  steep  rocks ; 
for,  on  approaching,  I  found  that  the  sea  rose  in 
breakers  against  the  masses  of  hard,  stony  cliff  that 
projected  their  inhospitable  fronts,  as  if  to  bar  my 
advance,  and  refuse  any  response  to  my  hope  of 
effecting  a  landing  there.  However,  my  exhausted 
frame  and  limbs,  weary  with  so  many  hours7  rowing, 
warned  me  not  to  be  easily  baffled  in  seeking  repose 
and  shelter ;  I  therefore  kept  off  shore  as  well  as  I 
could,  while  I  endeavored  to  coast  round  in  search 
of  some  favorable  cavern,  where  I  could  creep  in  for 
the  night,  or  succeed  in  finding  some  rather  less  rug- 
ged access  than  any  which  had  hitherto  presented 
itself. 

"  At  length  I  came  to  a  kind  of  craggy  inlet,  on 
one  side  of  which  the  rocks  shelved  down  to  the 
water's  edge  so  low  that  I  believed  I  could  climb  up 
on  to  them  from  the  boat,  which,  with  some  difficulty, 
I  succeeded  in  doing.  But  I  had  no  sooner  attained 
this  flat  shelf  of  rock,  than  I  perceived  that  I  had 
quitted  my  little  vessel  without  having  taken  the 
precaution  of  first  landing  the  provisions  that  had 
been  given  me  by  the  friendly  giant,  and  which,  from 
all  that  I  could  see  around,  was  the  only  food  I 
should  be  likely  to  procure  that  night.  I  was  ac- 
12 


178  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

cordingly  compelled  to  leap  back  into  the  boat, 
though  it  was  tossed  about  so  by  the  surge  that  it 
was  a  narrow  chance  I  did  not  plunge  into  the  waves 
instead.  However,  I  succeeded  in  securing  the  pre- 
cious keg  of  well-water,  and  the  two  loaves  in  which 
the  giant  had  enclosed  the  butter  and  the  cheese, 
and  then  I  contrived  to  scramble  up  once  more  on  to 
the  shelving  platform  of  rock  beside  them,  though, 
the  instant  I  had  done  so,  the  thought  flashed  across 
me  that  I  had  no  means  of  mooring  rny  little  vessel. 
No  bush,  no  tree,  not  even  a  stump  or  a  jagged 
point  of  rock,  to  which  I  could  lash  the  rope  and 
secure  the  boat.  Even  if  it  escaped  uninjured  by 
the  breakers,  I  could  scarcely  expect  that  it  would 
remain  in  the  bay  where  it  now  was  ;  and,  if  it 
drifted  away  before  morning,  what  chance  of  escape 
had  I  from  this  stony  shore,  where  my  first  welcome 
had  been  so  inhospitable  and  unpromising  ?  But 
every  spark  of  hope,  with  respect  to  the  frail  bark, 
was  speedily  destroyed  by  the  boiling  waves  ;  they 
tossed  it  to  and  fro,  and  flung  it  against  the  savage 
rocks,  that  threw  it  contemptuously  back  ;  and  thus, 
almost  as  I  gazed,  I  beheld  my  sole  means  of  retreat 
dashed  to  pieces  before  my  very  eyes.  I  comforted 
myself  as  well  as  I  could  with  the  only  glimpse  of 
consolation  I  had  at  that  moment  the  heart  to  per- 
ceive ;  which  was,  my  having  fortunately  preserved 
the  food  and  water  from  perishing  with  the  boat. 
So,  determining  to  avail  myself  to  the  utmost  of  this 
alleviating  circumstance  in  my  situation,  I  made  a 
hearty  meal  of  one  of  the  half-loaves,  some  of  the 
butter  and  cheese,  and  a  draught  from  the  keg. 


KIT   BAM,    MARINER.  179 

After  this,  feeling  refreshed,  I  secured  the  remainder 
of  my  provisions,  by  placing  them  carefully  on  a 
sheltered  ledge  in  a  rift  of  the  rock,  and  I  determined 
to  set  out  in  search  of  some  more  comfortable  shelter 
for  the  night  than  that  barren,  flattened  reef  could 
afford.  I  walked  on  some  time,  in  the  hope  of  meet- 
ing with  a  more  fertile  spot  inland ;  but  not  a  vestige 
of  a  tree,  shrub,  or  plant,  was  to  be  seen.  Not  only 
were  there  no  trees,  or  so  much  as  a  ragged  stunted 
bush,  anywhere  about,  but  there  was  not  even  the 
least  trace  of  verdure  or  vegetation  of  any  sort,  to 
clothe  the  bare  sterile  rock  which  spread  everywhere 
beneath  my  feet,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  Not 
a  blade  of  grass,  not  a  patch  of  moss,  not  a  solitary 
slender  lichen,  sprung  from  the  callous  monotony 
around — all  was  sullen,  obdurate,  unyielding  granite. 
What  was  my  dismay,  when,  after  walking  for  about 
two  hours,  I  found  that  I  approached  the  sea-shore 
again,  a  shore  precisely  like  the  one  I  had  just 
quitted,  a  mere  flattened  reef  of  rocks  ;  and  that,  in 
fact,  I  was  imprisoned  in  a  small  desert  island,  con- 
taining absolutely  nothing  to  support  nature,  but 
was  a  mere  huge  granite  slab,  set  in  the  midst  of  the 
ocean.  I  felt  like  one  of  those  poor  isolated  insects 
I  had  noticed  when  a  boy  —  some  luckless  ant,  or 
beetle,  that  had  by  mischance  strayed  upon  a  float- 
ing leaf,  and  was  carried  away  in  strange  waftage 
along  the  current  of  a  brook  or  pond.  Like  that 
poor  perplexed  creature,  I  felt  prompted  to  run 
hither  and  thither  in  mad  bewilderment,  and  spend 
my  strength  in  vain  efforts  to  extricate  myself  from 
my  hapless  position.  I  checked  these  rash  thoughts, 


180  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

howevt,*,  as  I  best  might,  and  lay  down  on  the  bare 
rock,  humbly  and  trustfully,  grateful,  at  least,  that 
there  was  the  starry  canopy  above  me,  instead  of  a 
stormy  and  adverse  sky. 

"  With  the  first  dawn  of  light  I  arose,  and,  forlorn 
as  iny  situation  undoubtedly  was,  1  could  not  be  in- 
sensible to  the  beauties  of  that  early  morning,  rising 
in  mid  ocean,  and  shedding  its  glories  upon  one 
desolate  human  being,  apart  from  all  his  race  in 
granite  solitude.  Blessed  prodigality  of  Nature ! 
that  lavishes  its  wonders  on  desert  wastes  where  no 
eye  may  ever  mark  the  marvellous  beauty,  content 
to  work  its  own  bounteous  decrees  in  magnificent 
profusion. 

"  Eoseate  clouds  replaced  the  gray  dawn  ;  golden 
'  streaks  mingled  their  brilliant  lines  athwart  the  east, 
and  then  spread  in  radiant  suffusion  over  all  the 
heavens,  ushering  the  majestic  approach  of  the  sun, 
that  rose  resplendent  and  supreme.  I  knelt  in  invol- 
untary homage,  offering  my  devotions  to  the  Lord  of 
the  universe,  the  beneficent  Creator  of  that  glorious 
luminary,  no  less  than  of  the  human  atom  who  thus 
beheld  him  arise,  and  who  lifted  his  heart  to  their 
common  Father.  I  now  prepared  to  retrace  my 
steps,  endeavoring  to  find  my  way  back  to  the  spot 
where  I  had  landed,  and  where  I  had  concealed  the 
food  and  water,  of  which  I  began  to  feel  sensible 
want.  At  the  same  time  I  reflected  that  I  must 
husband  my  provisions  carefully,  as  I  had  no  pros- 
pect of  replacing  them  when  they  should  be  ex- 
hausted. But  I  soon  found  that  my  first  difficulty 
would  be  to  discover  them ;  for,  so  great  was  the 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  181 

monotony  of  all  around,  so  precisely  was  one  por- 
tion of  the  scenery  like  another,  and  so  little  did  one 
mass  of  rocks  differ  from  the  rest,  that  I  spent  the 
whole  of  that  day  in  endeavoring  to  distinguish  the 
particular  ledge  of  rock  in  which  I  had  deposited  my 
sole  means  of  subsistence.  Night  closed  in  before  I 
had  discovered  it,  although  I  searched  diligently  in 
many  a  chasm  and  rift  of  several  reefs  of  flattened 
and  shelving  rock  that  appeared  to  me  to  be  the  one 
on  which  I  had  first  effected  a  landing.  Like  it  they 
certainly  were,  but  so  unvaryingly  similar,  so  per- 
plexingly  akin,  were  they  in  feature  and  form, —  so 
utterly  undistinguishable  in  their  general  appearance 
as  well  as  particular  detail, —  that  I  was  compelled  to 
abandon  my  quest, —  at  any  rate  until  another  day 
should  dawn,  and  lend  me  its  light. 

"  The  pangs  of  hunger,  as  well  as  the  growing 
horrors  of  my 'situation,  combined  to  keep  me  awake 
the  greater  part  of  that  night,  and  I  resumed  my 
search  the  next  day  exhausted  as  well  as  dispirited. 
I  endeavored  to  calculate  on  what  side  of  the  island 
the  particular  reef  could  lie  by  recalling  the  position 
of  the  stars  at  the  time  I  landed,  as  well  as  by  the 
direction  in  which  I  had  beheld  the  sun  rise  the 
'  previous  day,  which  of  course  indicated  to  me  the 
eastern  quarter  of  the  island  ;  but  I  found  the  long 
fast  I  had  sustained  was  beginning  to  have  its  effect 
upon  my  faculties,  which  I  felt  were  becoming  con- 
fused and  indistinct  in  the  process  of  thinking.  An- 
other night  darkened  upon  me,  with  the  added  horror 
of  approaching  illness  ;  for  I  felt  fevered  and  restless, 
besides  being  conscious  of  a  sort  of  wandering  in 


182  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

my  mind.  This  last  feeling  increased  to  such  a 
degree  before  morning,  that  next  day  I  was  in  a 
strong  fit  of  the  seaman's  disease,  the  calenture,  or 
home-longing,  that  haunted  me  with  terrible  distinct- 
ness and  pertinacity  for  some  hours.  The  granite 
island  had  faded  completely  from  my  sight,  and  I 
beheld  the  entire  scene  of  my  dear  native  village, 
with  the  vivid  force  of  reality.  There  was  the 
church-spire  against  the  back-ground  of  an  English 
sky, —  pale  blue,  flecked  with  light,  fleecy  clouds  ; 
the  church  itself,  with  its  glistening  windows  reflect- 
ing the  mild  rays  of  the  evening  sun ;  the  simple 
church-yard,  with  its  green  mounds  and  plain  grave- 
stones ;  there  was  the  little  wicket-gate  leading  to 
the  village  green,  with  the  humble  cottages  skirting 
its  sides,  and  straggling  towards  the  green  lane  that 
led  away  into  the  high-road ;  there  were  the  fields, 
dotted  with  sheep  and  grazing  cattle,  the  neat  or- 
chards, the  little  gardens, —  every  well-known  object 
was  there,  palpably,  visibly.  Not  only  did  I  see  these 
things  actually  before  me,  but  my  other  senses  aided 
the  delusion,  and  I  heard  the  gentle  lowing  of  the 
kine,  the  bleating  of  the  sheep,  the  barking  of  a  dis- 
tant watch-dog,  the  music  of  the  church-bells,  and 
the  murmur  of  children's  voices  as  they  sported  on 
the  village  green.  My  tears  flowed,  and  my  heart 
panted  to  be  gone,  that  I  might  melt  into  this  tran- 
quil scene,  arid  be  forever  at  rest.  As  I  gazed,  me- 
thought  my  mother  issued  from  the  door  of  our  cot- 
tage-home, and  beckoned  smilingly  to  her  sailor-son. 
I  followed,  as  I  fancied,  and  saw  her  point  towards 
the  oaken  cupboard,  that  contained  refreshment  for 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  183 

her  poor  wanderer.  In  my  delirium  I  rose  to  my 
feet,  and,  pursuing  the  direction  of  my  mother's 
hand,  I  went  forward  towards  what  seemed  in  my 
heated  imagination  to  be  the  small  cupboard  in  the 
cottage-wall  ;  when,  on  putting  forth  my  hand  to 
grasp  the  food  I  saw,  I  found  that  I  held  the  very 
loaves  that  I  had  secreted  on  my  first  arrival,  and 
that  I  in  fact  was  guided  in  my  fevered  vision  to  the 
precise  spot,  the  rift  in  the  rock,  which  I  had  sought 
so  long  in  vain. 

"  You  may  imagine  that,  though  very  stale,  never 
had  bread  tasted  so  deliciously  to  me  before  ;  and  the 
keg,  kept  fresh  and  cool  beneath  the  shelter  of  the 
rock,  poured  forth  its  pure  contents  to  my  parched 
lips,  with  a  refreshment  that  no  wine,  however  rare, 
could  have  produced.  I  slept  well  and  soundly  that 
night,  and,  when  I  awoke  in  the  morning,  I  found,  to 
my  inexpressible  joy,  that  my  fever  had  abated,  and 
that  I  felt  healthful  and  strong  enough  to  form  very 
energetic  resolutions  of  revolving  some  means  of 
escape  from  my  granite  prison.  But  how  were  these 
means  to  be  found  ?  Not  a  morsel  of  wood  any- 
where to  make  a  raft, —  not  a  single  stick  to  fasten 
my  handkerchief  to,  that  I  might  hoist  it  as  a  signal 
in  case  any  ship  should  fortunately  pass  within  hail. 
But  not  a  vessel,  not  a -sail,  could  I  descry  ;  the  sea 
all  around  looked  smooth  arid  unruffled,  and  was  as 
undisturbed  and  unproductive  a  monotony  as  the 
granite  slab  which  formed  my  prison. 

"  Utterly  baffled,  and  all  my  hopes  of  help  by  self- 
exertion  thus  reduced  to  naught,  I  stood  mutely 
inactive,  with  folded  arms,  and  a  sort  of  dull  resigna- 


184  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

tion  to  the  inert  neutrality  that  my  fate  forced  upon 
me,  when  suddenly  I  was  struck  by  observing  a  glit- 
tering object  high  in  the  air,  which,  as  it  advanced 
and  gradually  descended,  I  perceived  to  be  a  horse 
of  burnished  brass.  It  alighted  not  far  from  the 
spot  where  I  was,  and  then  stood  as  still  as  a  stone, 
looking  as  immovable  as  the  granite  island  itself.  I 
shaded  my  eyes  with  my  hand,  as  I  gazed  at  this 
wondrous  horse,  which  dazzled  like  the  unclouded 
sun  ;  and  I  tried  to  recollect  what  I  had  heard  one  of 
my  early  shipmates,  Geoffrey  Tabard,  once  tell  me 
about  just  such  a  horse  of  brass. 

"It  was  of  fine  proportions,  and  of  great  breadth 
of  chest,  all  formed  for  swiftness  and  endurance,  just 
as  Geoffrey  had  described  it  to  me  ;  and  I  remem- 
bered that  he  told  me  of  its  possessing  the  power  of 
conveying  its  master  to  whatever  quarter  of  the 
earth  he  pleased  to  ride,  within  the  compass  of  a 
day  ;  or,  if  he  desired  to  soar  like  an  eagle,  it  would 
bear  him,  without  danger,  through  the  regions  of 
birds  to  the  place  of  his  destination,  and  that  in  its 
progress  it  was  so  staid  and  so  soft  that  its  rider 
might  sleep,  without  fear,  upon  its  back.  Then, 
remembering  how  Geoffrey  had  explained  that  in  its 
management  there  required  no  other  skill  than  the 
turning  of  a  pin  that  was  fixed  in  its  ear,  I  deter- 
mined boldly  to  avail  myself,  if  possible,  of  the 
means  this  brazen  steed  offered  of  quitting  the  gran- 
ite island. 

"  I  therefore  approached  resolutely,  and  laid  my 
hand  upon  the  rein,  which  was  a  bridle  of  curious 
workmanship,  encrusted  with  jewels,  and  then  the 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  185 

horse  begun  to  trample  and  caper,  as  if  he  recog- 
nized one  who  was  acquainted  with  his  nature.  I 
mounted,  turned  the  pin,  and  left  it  to  the  discretion 
of  my  charger  to  conduct  me  whithersoever  he 
pleased,  believing  that,  as  he  delivered  me  from 
peril,  he  would  best  know  where  to  take  me  for  my 
future  good.  We  soared  gently  aloft,  and  he  bore 
me  through  the  air  and  across  the  sea,  till  we  ap- 
proached land,  when,  stooping  from  his  flight,  the 
horse  alighted  in  a  grassy  plain,  where  I  dismounted. 
Then,  after  remaining  a  few  moments,  as  if  rooted 
to  the  ground,  and  quiet  as  a  stone  again,  he  sud- 
denly rose  from  the  earth,  and  the  horse  of  brass 
soared  away,  and  vanished  from  my  sight. 

"  I  waved  a  grateful  farewell  to  him,  and  turned 
to  look  round  upon  the  place  in  which  he  had  left  me. 
I  found  I  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  thick  wood, 
and,  as  I  felt  the  rays  of  the  noontide  sun  somewhat 
oppressive,  I  sought  the  refreshing  shade  of  the 
trees,  and  wandered  for  §ome  time  beneath  them, 
enjoying  the  cool  air  and  the  green  luxurious  repose 
of  the  bowery  spot,  affording  such  exquisite  contrast 
with  the  hard,  barren  monotony  of  the  place  I  had 
just  quitted,  the  dreadful  granite  island.  I  revelled 
in  the  sweet  smell  of  the  wood,  a  mingled  odor  of 
wild-flowers,  boughs,  blossoms,  mossy  bark,  and 
teeming  earth ;  I,  as  it  were,  bathed  my  eyes  in  the 
verdant  freshness  of  the  overhanging  leaves,  the 
clear  azure  of  the  sky  that  peeped  between  the  foli- 
age, and  the  soft  purple  haze  that  appeared  to  suffuse 
the  ground  beneath  the  trees  ;  I  bared  my  brow  to 
the  pure  breath  of  heaven,  my  senses  seemed  steeped 


186          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

in  refreshment,  and  I  felt  as  if  I  drank  in  reviving 
influence  at  every  pore. 

"  Presently  I  heard  a  sound  of  rural  merriment ; 
I  looked  up,  and  beheld  a  troop  of  fauns  and  satyrs 
coming  through  one  of  the  forest  glades,  shouting 
and  singing  a  shepherd  rhyme,  and  making  the 
woods  echo  with  their  rnerry  piping  and  gladsome 
revelry.  On  they  came,  wearing  the  ground  with 
"their  horned  feet  and  backward-bent  knees,  leaping 
like  wanton  kids  in  pleasant  spring,  and  joyful  as  the 
birds,  while  with  them  came  dancing,  hand  in  hand, 
nymphs  and  light-footed  hamadryads,  waving  green 
branches,  all  just  as  I  had  heard  Edmund  Faery  (an- 
other of  the  early  friends  of  my  first  voyage)  many 
and  many  a  time  describe  them  to  me,  when  he  had 
told  me  of  these  wood-born  people  ;  his  very  words 
came  into  my  memory,  so  vividly  had  he  painted 
them.  Though  they  were  rude-favored,  misshapen 
creatures,  with  their  frowning  foreheads  surmounted 
by  rough  horns,  and  their  strange  limbs  hairy  and 
hoofed,  yet  there  was  an  air  of  natural  goodness 
about  them,  and  guileless  enjoyment,  that  inspired 
confidence  and  liking.  The  procession  stopped  in 
an  open  grassy  spot,  where  the  glade  widened,  not 
far  from  the  place  in  which  I  stood ;  and  then  I  saw 
the  merry,  busy  crowd  prepare  for  a  rustic  feast  by 
spreading  the  ground  with  boar's  and  kid's  flesh, 
goodly  fowls  and  birds,  piles  of  rosy  fruit,  and  heaps 
of  green  and  purple  grapes,  intermingled  with  drink- 
ing-horns, flagons,  and  swollen  wine-skins. 

"  The  jolly  company  were  just  about  to  seat  them- 
selves around  on  the  grass,  when,  espying  me,  they 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  187 

set  up  a  boisterous  shout  that  made  the  welkin  ring  ; 
then,  gently  grinning,  they,  by  grotesque  becks  and 
barbarous  courtesy,  signified  to  me  that  I  should 
approach  and  share  their  repast,  while  two  buxom 
nymphs  sprang  forward,  and,  playfully  crowning  my 
head  with  green  coronals,  and  wreathing  me  round 
with  vine  garlands,  they  led  me  towards  their  wood 
companions,  and,  with  uproarious  mirth,  pressed  me 
down  upon  a  mossy  seat  in  the  midst  of  them. 

"  Nowise  averse,  I  enjoyed  their  wild  hospitality, 
and  shared  their  hearty  merriment,  eating  and  drink- 
ing my  best,  and  mingling  my  voice  with  their  joy- 
ous shouts  and  sportive  songs  ;  but,  when  I  began 
to  perceive  that  joviality  was  merging  into  mad  ex- 
cess, and  jocund  hilarity  was  fast  becoming  mere 
tumult  and  noise,  I  bethought  me  that  my  human 
discretion  had  best  take  means  to  withdraw  from  the 
company  of  these  wild  wood-gods  while  I  yet  pre- 
served my  senses.  Thanking  them,  therefore,  for 
their  courtesy  and  good  cheer  in  one  more  rousing 
cup,  which  I  resolved  should  be  the  last,  I  seized  the 
opportunity,  when  their  attention  was  occupied  in 
pressing  some  vast  bunches  of  grapes  into  a  huge 
bowl,  and  crowning  it  with  garlands,  that  they  might 
drink  a  loving  cup  round  to  the  health  of  old  Syl- 
vanus,  and,  quietly  rising,  I  stealthily  effected  my 
escape  among  the  neighboring  leafy  coverts,  and 
soon  lost  sight  of  the  uproarious  train,  thinking  how 
closely  my  situation  resembled  that  of  some  tem- 
perate guests  of  whom  I  had  heard  in  civilized  life, 
who  were  compelled  to  abscond  by  stratagem  from 


188          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

the  indiscreet  society  of  some  too  hospitable  human 
host. 

"  I  wandered  on  beneath  the  trees,  until  I  came  to 
the  skirts  of  the  wood,  where  I  beheld  a  stately 
mansion. 

"  But  I  must  tell  you  to-morrow  what  adventures 
befell  me  there,  my  dears/ '  said  the  old  mariner, 
"  for  it  is  too  late  to  spin  any  more  yarns  to-night/7 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  189 


CHAPTEE    VII. 

THE  ABODE  OP  SUBTILIA.  —  DRUSILLA. —  THE  ENCHANTED  FOUN- 
TAIN. —  ERUDITO'S  GIFT.  —  THE  LAKE,  AND  ISLAND  RETREAT.  — 
SIR  LIONEL. THE  MYSTIC  RINGS. 

"  You  left  off  last  evening  just  where  you  came  in 
sight  of  a  stately  mansion,  Kit/'  said  both  the  young 
Swallows,  in  a  breath,  when  they  were  next  seated 
happily  with  their  dear  old  friend,  the  mariner. 

"  I  bent  my  steps  towards  it/'  resumed  Kit,  "  and 
shortly  approached  the  high  bronze  gates  which 
formed  the  entrance  to  this  lordly  domain  ;  they 
yielded  to  my  hand,  and  I  advanced  through  a  long 
avenue  that  led  straight  to  the  flight  of  marble  steps 
surmounted  by  the  portal  of  the  mansion.  On  each 
side  of  the  avenue  stretched  a  fine  park,  and  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  house  I  saw  plantations  and  thick 
shrubberies,  that  bespoke  beautiful  pleasure-grounds 
and  lovely  gardens,  fit  for  voluptuous  retirement.  I 
ascended  the  flight  of  steps,  and  found  that  the  por- 
tal, like  the  bronze  gates,  gave  way  at  once  beneath 
the  pressure  of  my  hand ;  and  I  entered  a  lofty  hall 
of  dazzling  white  marble,  from  the  centre  of  which 
rose  a  staircase  that,  after  a  short  flight,  diverged, 
and  led  to  the  rooms  above.  I  went  straight  up  to 
the  first  landing,  where  I  found  a  magnificent  suite 
of  rooms,  draped  with  rich  hangings,  and  ornamented 
with  gilded  mouldings  and  cornices ;  superb  pictures 


190          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

decorated  the  walls  ;  luxurious  couches,  soft  carpets, 
mirrors,  candelabra,  and  vases,  were  everywhere 
around  in  costly  profusion.  But  I  saw  no  one  ;  I 
met  not  a  single  person  amid  all  this  splendor  :  not 
one  occupant  in  this  stately  household.  I  wandered 
on  through  many  rooms,  all  grand,  all  betokening 
lordly  habitation,  but  still  not  a  soul  could  I  see  ; 
through  many  more,  above,  around,  and  below,  but 
all  was  silent  and  deserted,  and  I  strayed  on  alone, 
quite  alone,  without  a  sound  but  my  own  echoing 
footsteps,  or  the  sight  of  a  human  countenance,  ex- 
cepting an  occasional  glimpse  of  my  own  as  I  passed 
some  huge  mirror  that  reflected  my  wandering  figure, 
and  startled  me  with  its  unexpected  motion  amidst 
this  still  and  silent  solitude.  I  descended  again  to 
the  marble  hall,  where  I  perceived  some  windows 
reaching  to  the  ground,  that  opened  on  to  the  broad 
terrace  which  occupied  the  back  of  the  mansion,  and 
commanded  a  view  of  the  gardens  and  pleasure- 
grounds.  I  stepped  forth,  and  stood  for  some  time 
to  admire  the  beauty  of  the  scene  that  lay  stretched 
before  me,  while  I  mused  upon  the  strange  deser- 
tion of  a  place  so  bountifully  endowed.  I  gazed 
forth  upon  the  lovely  pleasaunce,  the  green  alleys, 
the'  brilliant  flower-beds,  the  bowery  alcoves,  the 
graceful  statues  and  silvery  fountains,  that  diversified 
the  tasteful  elegance  of  the  surrounding  grounds, 
when,  suddenly,  my  ear  caught  the  sound  of  a  plain- 
tive voice  uttering  a  low,  wailing  lamentation.  I 
looked  hastily  round,  but  no  one  could  I  see  ;  and, 
indeed,  the  sound  was  too  stifled  and  distant  for  it 
to  have  proceeded  from  any  one  in  the  open  air,  or 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  191 

near  to  me.  I  listened,  and,  hearing  the  plaintive 
sound  repeated,  I  crept  softly  in  the  direction 
whence  it  seemed  to  proceed.  It  led  me  to  the  end 
of  the  terrace,  and  then,  descending  a  few  steps,  I 
heard  it  more  distinctly,  and  found  that  it  seemed  to 
issue  from  a  low  angle  of  the  building  among  some 
flowering  shrubs,  that  grew  in  a  cluster  near  to  the 
foot  of  the  terrace.  As  I  stooped  towards  them  I 
distinguished  these  words,  uttered  in  the  disconsolate 
tones  which  had  before  reached  my  ear  :  '  Ah  me, 
unhappy  Drusilla  !  Why  bemoan  thy  miserable  fate  ? 
Why  indulge  in  useless  complaint,  when  there  is  no 
one  near  to  listen  and  console  ?  Wretched,  wretched 
maid  !  Lost,  abandoned,  deserted  by  all,  cease  to 
deplore  thy  cruel  doom,  but  let  grief  do  its  work, — 
break  thy  heart  at  once,  and  die  ! ?  Much  moved  by 
this  melancholy  plaint,  and  by  the  touching  voice  of 
woe  in  which  it  was  uttered,  I  strained  my  eyes 
eagerly  through  the  slender  branches  which  screened 
the  portion  of  the  building  whence  the  voice  seemed 
to  issue,  and  I  discovered  a  low,  grated  window 
close  to  the  ground ;  on  looking  still  more  intently, 
I  could  distinguish  behind  the  bars  the  figure  of  a 
beautiful  damsel,  who  was  wringing  her  hands 
piteously,  casting  her  weeping  eyes  up  to  Heaven, 
while  she  gave  way  to  those  bitter  lamentations 
which  I  had  overheard.  I  no  sooner  perceived  her 
than  I  endeavored  to  make  her  aware  of  my  pres- 
ence, and  to  offer  my  services  in  aid  of  her  distress. 
I  cut  away  some  of  the  branches  of  the  flowering 
shrub  that  intervened,  and,  approaching  as  near  to 
the  grating  as  I  could,  I  begged  her  to  believe  that 


192         THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

there  was  one  near  anxious  to  assist  and  console  her, 
would  she  but  accept  his  services,  and  direct  him 
how  best  they  could  be  exerted  in  her  behalf.  The 
fair  damsel,  after  the  first  blush  of  surprise  at  my 
sudden  appearance,  smiled  graciously,  and  told  me 
that  she  was  an  unhappy  prisoner,  confined  in  that 
lonely  dungeon  by  the  arts  of  a  wicked  enchantress, 
Subtilia,  whose  abode  was  the  luxurious  mansion 
that  reared  its  walls  above  the  cell  of  her  victim ; 
and  then  the  damsel,  who  told  me  that  her  own  name 
was  Drusilla,  asked  me  how  I  had  contrived  to  escape 
the  observation  of  Subtilia,  and  gain  access  to  the 
neighborhood  of  her  dungeon,  so  as  to  discover  its 
situation.  I  informed  her  of  my  having  entered  the 
house,  of  my  having  wandered  all  over  it  without 
encountering  any  one,  and  of  my  subsequent  visit  to 
the  terrace,  whence  I  had  been  fortunately  led  by 
the  sound  of  her  voice  to  the  discovery  of  her  im- 
prisonment, from  which  I  now  longed  so  eagerly  to 
be  the  means  of  her  deliverance.  She  thanked  me 
warmly  for  my  proffered  aid,  and  then,  recurring  to 
the  former  portion  of  my  speech,  where  I  had  re- 
counted my  having  found  the  mansion  empty,  she 
said :  '  Then  Subtilia  is  absent  ;  she  is  doubtless 
gone  on  one  of  her  errands,  fraught  with  mischievous 
peril  to  knights  and  damsels  who  have  unhappily 
provoked  her  admiration  or  her  wrath  ;  for  her  par- 
tiality towards  the  one  sex  is  as  fatal  as  her  malig- 
nant hatred  of  the  other.  Had  she  seen  you,  gallant 
stranger/  added  Drusilla,  with  a  complimentary 
glance,  '  it  is  more  than  probable  that  you  would 
never  have  been  permitted  to  emerge  from  her  abode, 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  193 

even  so  far  as  to  the  terraces  and  gardens.  She  is 
an  avowed  admirer  of  handsome  youths,  and  loves 
to  see  bravery  and  beauty  swell  her  train  of  fol- 
lowers/ 

11 1  felt  abashed  by  this  open  flattery  of  Brasilia's, 
and  hastened  to  check  its  course,  by  leading  the  con- 
versation back  to  her  own  misfortunes,  asking  her  if 
she  could  account  for  the  animosity  which  had  led 
Subtilia  to  cast  her  into  the  dungeon  where  she  now 
languished. 

"  '  Alas,  no  ! '  exclaimed  the  damsel,  casting  her 
eyes  modestly  down  ;  '  unless  it  be  that  these  poor 
charms  have  excited  her  envy,  and  drawn  her  enmity 
upon  their  unhappy  possessor.' 

"  I  looked  at  her  as  she  stood  there,  in  her  blush- 
ing beauty,  with  the  bright  tears  streaming  over  her 
glowing  cheeks  and  glistening  upon  her  coral  lips, 
like  dew-drops  trembling  in  the  cup  of  a  rose,  and, 
notwithstanding  her  consciousness  and  vanity,  which 
revolted  my  better  taste,  I  could  not  help  admiring 
her  loveliness,  and  permitting  myself  to  be  biased 
in  her  favor  by  the  irresistible  attraction  of  youth, 
softness,  and  distress. 

"  I  bade  her  command  me  ever,  vowed  to  deliver 
and  protect  her,  though  at  the  peril  of  my  life,  and 
besought  her  to  bestow  some  token  of  her  regard 
and  acceptance  of  my  devotion  to  her  cause. 

"  The  damsel  blushed  and  smiled,  and  then,  press- 
ing one  fair  arm  through  the  bars  of  her  prison-win- 
dow, she  permitted  me  to  kiss  her  white  hand,  on 
which  I  perceived  a  heart-shaped  ruby  ring.  Trans- 
ported with  her  condescending  softness,  I  would  fain 
13 


194          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

have  drawn  this  ring  from  her  finger  and  placed  it 
on  my  own  ;  but  she  suddenly  withdrew  her  hand, 
and,  telling  me  the  ring  might  perhaps  be  iny  guer- 
don when  I  should  have  succeeded  in  delivering  her 
from  the  power  of  Subtilia,  she  told  me  that  I  had 
best  avail  myself  of  the  enchantress7  absence,  by 
returning  immediately  to  the  house,  seeking  the  way 
to  the  dungeon-door,  and  so  freeing  Brasilia  from 
prison  before  the  return  of  her  enemy  should  inter- 
fere with  our  plans.  I  agreed  to  the  reasonableness 
of  this  proposal,  and  asking  Brasilia  if  she  could 
afford  me  any  indication  of  the  direction  in  which  the 
passage  leading  to  the  dungeons  lay  within  the  house, 
she  told  me  that  she  had  been  conveyed  thither  from 
the  great  hall  of  white  marble  blindfold,  and  that, 
therefore,  she  possessed  no  clue  wherewith  to  guide 
me  in  my  search.  However,  doubting  not  that  I 
should  be  able  easily  to  discover  the  way,  and  anx- 
ious to  lose  no  more  time  in  endeavoring  to  effect 
Brasilia's  escape,  I  bade  her  farewell,  and  hastened 
to  retrace  my  steps  along  the  terrace,  and  return  to 
the  house. 

"Arrived  once  more  in  the  marble  hall,  I  paused 
a  moment  to  calculate,  as  well  as  I  could,  the  prob- 
able direction  of  the  dungeon,  when,  opening  a  door 
to  the  right,  I  found  myself  in  a  long  gallery,  lead- 
ing to  a  beautiful  conservatory,  filled  with  rare  flow- 
ers of  every  shape  and  hue.  Convinced  that  this 
could  not  form  the  approach  to  the  subterranean 
range  of  prisons  destined  for  the  reception  of  Sub- 
tilia's  victims,  I  returned  to  the  hall,  where  I  again 
debated  in  what  direction  I  had  best  proceed.  I 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  195 

observed  that  several  doors  stood  ranged  on  the  two 
opposite  sides  of  this  hall,  leading  into  galleries  right 
and  left  through  the  extensive  wings  of  the  mansion  ; 
so,  as  I  had  no  means  of  deciding  which  of  these 
galleries  was  the  passage  I  sought,  I  determined  to 
go  regularly  through  them  all,  in  the  hope  of  discov- 
ering the  one  I  so  ardently  desired.  The  second 
door  I  opened  admitted  me  into  a  gallery,  at  the  end 
of  which  I  found  myself  in  a  spacious  library  ;  the 
third  led  to  a  superb  aviary  ;  another  to  a  saloon  of 
rarest  sculpture;  another  to  a  well-proportioned  music- 
room  ;  each  to  various  retreats  of  refined  amusement 
and  elegant  leisure,  but  none  that  bore  the  remotest 
likelihood  of  conducting  me  to  the  range  of  dungeons 
beneath  the  building,  which  I  longed  as  eagerly  to 
find  as  others  had  probably  desired  to  avoid.  At 
length,  at  the  end  of  one  of  the  galleries,  I  beheld  a 
staircase,  that  led  down  windingly  to  a.dark  vaulted 
passage ;  and,  though  evening  was  by  this  time  clos- 
ing in,  I  hesitated  not  to  descend  at  once,  hoping 
that  I  had  at  last  discovered  the  way  to  the  prison 
of  the  lovely  Drusilla.  The  passage  was  of  stone, 
and  echoed  drearily  beneath  my  feet,  as  I  proceeded, 
groping  carefully  on  either  side,  to  find  the  dungeon 
doors,  which  I  concluded  could  not  now  be  far  dis- 
tant. 

''  I  traversed  this  gloomy  abyss  long  in  vain,  and 
became  somewhat  alarmed  when  I  found  that  not 
a  recess,  not  a  vestige  of  a  door  or  opening  of  any 
sort,  could  I  discover  along  its  uniform  blank  stone 
walls  ;  and  that,  instead  of  coming  to  any  end  or 
egress,  the  vaulted  passage  went  on  and  on,  in  appa- 


196  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

rently  interminable  length,  and  made  me  feel  as  if  I 
had  entered  a  dreary  labyrinth,  in  which  there  was 
an  equally  hopeless  chance  of  returning  as  of  pro- 
ceeding to  the  hitherto  expected  result.  However, 
this  very  conviction  of  the  difficulty  of  finding  my 
way  back,  joined  to  the  strong  desire  I  had  to  find 
the  dungeons,  with  the  belief  that  this  must  be  the 
approach  to  them,  led  me  to  persevere  in  my  prog- 
ress onward,  and  I  toiled  on  in  darkness  and  diffi- 
culty, but  in  unwearied  search.  It  was  like  thread- 
ing the  mazes  of  a  perplexed  and  oppressive  dream ; 
but  I  was  determined  not  to  be  baffled,  if  possible,  in 
my  search  for  the  place  of  the  beautiful  damseFs 
confinement,  and  so  on,  and  on,  and  on,  I  continued. 
But,  at  length,  I  felt  a  current  of  cooler  air,  and 
then  the  atmosphere  around  me  freshened  and  fresh- 
ened, until  I  emerged  from  a  low  arched  portal,  and 
found  myself  suddenly  without  the  walls  of  Subtilia's 
abode. 

"I  gazed  around  me  in  surprise,  for  the  moon  was 
shining  brilliantly,  and  had  risen  high  enough  in  the 
heavens  to  show  me  that  some  hours  must  have 
elapsed  while  I  was  toiling  through  that  dark  vaulted 
stone  passage,  which  was  probably  only  a  subter- 
ranean labyrinth,  ranging  beneath  the  whole  extent 
of  the  building,  and  forming  a  secret  means  of  egress 
from  the  mansion.  I  found-  that  it  had  brought  me 
out  beneath  the  avenue  in  front  of  the  edifice,  and 
the  brilliant  moonshine  which  silvered  the  tops  of 
the  lofty  trees,  and  shed  soft  lustre  upon  every  sur- 
rounding object,  enabled  me  to  find  my  way  readily 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  197 

to  the  principal  entrance  ;  and  I  once  more  returned 
to  the  marble  hall. 

"  Before  I  resumed  my  search  through  the  few 
doors  that  yet  remained  unopened  by  me,  I  deter- 
mined to  repair  to  the  grated  window  of  Brasilia's 
prison,  that  I  might  inform  her  of  the  fruitless  search 
I  had  hitherto  made,  and,  by  assuring  her  that  I 
meant  immediately  to  return  and  prosecute  it  further, 
account  for  the  suspense  in  which  she  had  been  de- 
tained, and  revive  her  hope  for  future  success.  I 
hastened  along  the  terrace,  and  was  soon  at  the  low 
grated  window ;  but  what  was  my  dismay  when  I 
received  no  reply  to  my  reiterated  calls  upon  the 
fair  damsel's  name  !  I  urged  her,  by  every  earnest 
expression  I  could  imagine,  to  take  pity  on  my  un- 
easiness, and  to  relieve  the  torture  I  suffered  in  her 
behalf ;  I  conjured  her  to  believe  that  the  delay  in 
her  deliverance  had  been  occasioned  by  no  want  of 
ardor  on  my  part,  and  that  if  it  was  this  circum- 
stance that  offended  her' and  kept  her  silent,  I  en- 
treated she  would  at  least  have  compassion  on  my 
fears  for  her,  and  assure  me  of  her  presence  by  a 
single  word. 

"  But  I  pleaded  in  vain ;  no  sound,  not  a  sigh, 
reached  my  ear,  and  I  became  convinced  that  the 
dungeon  no  longer  contained  its  fair  tenant.  In- 
deed, the  moon  shone  so  brightly  that  I  should  have 
discovered  the  figure  of  the  damsel,  had  Brasilia  still 
occupied  her  prison  ;  but  not  a  line,  not  a  hint,  of 
her  fair  shape  could  I  distinguish,  to  break  the  uni- 
form darkness  of  the  space  into  which  I  gazed. 
Amazed  and  dispirited,  I  arose  from  the  kneeling 


198  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES   OF 

position  I  had  assumed,  the  better  to  peer  down 
through  the  dungeon  window,  and  wandered  on 
through  the  moonlit  gardens,  musing  vainly  on  the 
cause  of  my  mistress7  strange  disappearance.  The 
title  I  had  given  to  Drusilla,  in  my  revery,  struck 
upon  my  fancy,  and  I  paused  to  consider  what  reason 
I  had  to  look  upon  her  in  the  light  of  a  lover. 

"  '  I  have  seen  her  but  a  few  hours,  I  know  nothing 
of  her  qualities,  and  yet  I  talk  of  her  as  my  love  — 
my  mistress  —  my  future  bride  !  Do  I  love  her  ?  Do 
I  wish  to  pass  my  life  with  her  ?  Do  I  really  desire 
to* devote  my  future  existence  to  this  damsel,  to  the 
formation  of  her  happiness  and  my  own  in  our 
union  ? ?  I  asked  myself  these  questions,  and  was 
surprised  to  find  how  the  remembrance  of  her  beauty 
was  the  sole  response,  and  how  that  faded  before 
the  recollection  of  her  evident  coquetry  and  vanity, 
which  had  been  thrown  into  shadow,  while  my  eyes 
were  dazzled  with  her  personal  charms,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  fair  Drusilla. 

"My  own  conduct,  too,  did  not  satisfy  me,  upon 
reviewal,  any  more  than  hers  in  the  interview  be- 
tween us.  As  I  thought  over  these  things,  I  drew 
from  my  bosom  the  little  volume  that  had  been 
Erudito's  parting  gift,  and  which  I  always  kept,  there 
securely,  together  with  Eudora's  crystal  locket.  I 
had  noticed  that  the  little  volume  bore  the  title  of 
'  The  Book  of  Self-Disenchantment ;'  and  I  now  turned 
over  its  pages,  while  I  revolved  my  own  behavior, 
as  if  consulting  its  truths  in  aid  of  my  self-scru- 
tiny. The  vivid  rays  of  the  moon  lent  me  their 
light,  land  there  was  a  native  effulgence  in  the  book 


'  KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  199 

itself,  that  enabled  me  to  trace  the  characters,  as  if 
I  had  been  in  the  broad  sunshine.  And  yet  it  was 
not  exactly  that  I  read  the  volume.  It  was  rather 
as  if  I  were  looking  into  a  mirror  ;  the  leaves  seemed 
to  present  to  me  a  sort  of  mental  looking-glass,  in 
which  I  beheld  a  transcript  of  motives,  words,  and 
actions.  I  saw  reflected,  as  it  were,  my  own  views, 
feelings,  and  thoughts,  with  a  clear  outline  of  causes 
and  consequences.  I  saw  the  coxcombry  of  my  own 
deportment  to  Drusilla,  as  vividly  as  I  had  lately 
beheld  her  coquetry  of  manner  towards  myself;  I 
perceived  that  I  was  misled  by  foolish  vanity,  whe*i 
I  had  fancied,  for  a  moment,  that  I,  a  rough  sailor 
youth,  could  be  comely  in  a  fair  lady's  eyes,  or  that 
she  could  possibly  entertain  a  serious  liking  for  a 
stranger  of  but  half  an  hour's  acquaintance. 

"  As  I  gazed  into  Erudito's  gift,  and  contemplated 
this  reflection  of  my  own  inner  self,  I  was  startled  to 
hear  a  deep  sigh  breathed  close  to  my  ear,  as  if  some 
one  were  looking  over  my  shoulder  into  the  open 
pages  of  the  little  volume  which  I  held  in  my  hand. 
I  looked  round  involuntarily,  though  I  was  so  situ- 
ated that  no  one  could  possibly  be  standing  in  the 
position  which  had  suggested  itself  to  rne  ;  for,  I  had 
seated  myself  on  the  marble  brink  of  a  large  vase- 
like  basin,  in  the  centre  of  which  played  a  fountain 
that  sent  up  its  silver  sparkles  among  the  moon- 
beams, and  fell  again  in  graceful  showers  to  the 
rippling  water. 

"  But  the  sigh  was  repeated,  and  I  heard  the  plain- 
tive voice  of  Drusilla  murmur,  '  And  is  that  my  real 
picture  ?  Are  those  my  true  colors  ?  Am  I  indeed 


200          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

the  worthless,  vain  coquette  I  there  see  depicted  ? 
Ah,  Lionel,  well  art  thou  vindicated  !  Deeply,  fatally, 
are  thy  wrongs  avenged,  by  my  present  hopeless 
admission  of  the  justice  of  my  doom  ! ; 

"  The  voice  ceased,  and  I  heard  nothing  but  the 
soft  plashing  of  the  fountain,  and  the  thrilling  notes 
of  a  nightingale  in  the  neighboring  grove. 

11  Drusilla!  speak  again,  Brasilia!  Where  are  you, 
lady  ?  7  I  exclaimed,  impetuously. 

"  '  You  see  me  not,  gallant  stranger, 'though  I  am 
close  beside  you/  replied  her  voice  ;  '  by  the  cruel 
sorceries  of  the  enchantress  Subtilia  I  am  nightly 
transformed  into  this  fountain  ;  as  evening  closes  in, 
1  quit  my  dungeon,  and  with  it  my  human  shape, 
which  I  resume  not  until  morning  dawns,  when  I 
exchange  one  imprisonment  for  another.  The  free 
open  air,  the  close  cell,  are  equally  thraldom  for  poor 
Brasilia  !  Listen,  stranger/  she  continued,  '  for  your 
magic  volume  has  unsealed  my  eyes,  and  bids  me 
value  truth  now  above  all  things ;  listen,  and  I  will 
tell  you  the  whole  of  my  sad  history,  of  which  I 
allowed  you  to  understand  only  a  portion  this  morn- 
ing. I  am  a  king's  daughter,  and  my  early  years 
were  spent  in  the  midst  of  unbounded  luxury,  un- 
checked whims,  unlimited  praise  of  my  beauty,  and 
injudicious  indulgence  of  all  kinds.  My  natural 
defects  were  thus  cherished  into  faults,  and  my  ca- 
price, disdain,  and  tyranny,  when  I  came  to  have 
suitors,  were  intolerable  and  incessant.  Of  all  of 
them,  I  only  really  loved  Sir  Lionel ;  but  I  never 
would  permit  him  to  feel  sure  of  this,  and  scarcely 
treated  him  better  than  any  of  the  others.  Still, 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  201 

spite  of  all,  he  loved  me  fondly,  faithfully  ;  and  his 
ardent  affection  roused  the  vindictive  jealousy  of 
Subtilia,  who  had  herself  cast  eyes  of  favor  upon  my 
handsome  lover.  One  evening,  I  was  pacing  idly 
along  one  of  the  green  alleys  of  the  royal  gardens, 
surrounded  by  a  train  of  my  admirers,  one  of  whom 
I  sent  to  catch  a  butterfly,  another  for  a  bunch  of 
forget-me-nots,  another  for  a  riband  for  my  dog's 
neck,  a  fourth  for  my  pet  monkey,  and  a  fifth  for  I 
know  not  what,  when  I  suddenly  found  myself  alone 
with  Sir  Lionel,  and,  in  the  embarrassment  of  the 
moment,  instead  of  despatching  him  like  the  rest 
upon  some  frivolous  errand,  I  said,  "  And  you,  sir 
knight,  may  give  me  that  opal  from  your  finger,  if 
you  think  fit  to  bestow  it  upon  me  :  it  will  be  a  meet 
gift,  you  know,  for  one  so  changeable  as  you  have 
frequently  told  me  that  I  am.7' 

"  '  "  Be  true  to  your  own  better  nature,  then,  lady 
mine/7  said  Sir  Lionel,  emboldened  by  the  encourage- 
ment I  gave  him  in  my  request ;  "  give  me  that  ruby 
ring  of  yours  in  exchange  for  my  opal,  and  tell  me 
they  shall  bear  witness  of  our  mutual  constancy.77 

"  <  «  When  I  do  give  you  that  heart-shaped  ruby, 
sir  knight,  you  may  boast  of  my  constancy,77  I  ex- 
claimed, haughtily  drawing  back. 

"  '  He  was  incensed  at  the  sudden  change  in  my 
manner,  which,  an  instant  before,  had  been  all  play- 
ful softness,  and  said,  "  Then  I  part  not  with  my 
opal,  unless  in  exchange  for  the  ruby.77 

"  '  "  I  would  sooner  exchange  places  with  that  foun- 
tain,77 said  I,,  pointing  carelessly  to  one  that  played 
near  us,  "  than  part  with  my  ring 


f/HSriVEEST'P 


202          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

"  '  "Sir  Lionel  will  never  submit  his  heart  to  your 
sway,  fair  tyrant,"  exclaimed  my  lover,  impetuously, 
"  until  you  yield  him  your  ruby  ring1,  and  own  that 
you  have  used  unworthily  a  heart  hitherto  but  too 
milling  to  devote  itself  to  your  service.77 

"  '  He  broke  from  me  with  these  bitter  words,  and 
[  have  fatal  reason  to  believe  that  these  rash  speeches 
>f  ours  threw  us  both  into  the  power  of  Subtilia  :  for, 
shat  very  night,  her  enchantments  were  put  in  force 
against  myself,  and  I  have  no  doubt  my  unfortunate 
lover  is  equally  subject  to  her  spells.  There  is  a 
retired  spot  towards  the  south,  not  far  from  hence, 
—  a  small  island  situated  in  the  centre  of  a  lake, 
where  the  enchantress  devotes  herself  to  pleasure, 
and  to  the  society  of  those  whom  she  has  enwoven  in 
her  fatal  snares.  Here,  I  fear,  my  dear  knight,  Sir 
Lionel,  has  been  conveyed  ;  and,  alas  !  my  own  con- 
duct scarcely  permits  me  to  hope  that  his  constancy 
has  been  proof  against  the  wiles  doubtless  employed 
to  win  him  to  her  allegiance.  It  is  but  too  probable 
that  he  has  yielded  to  her  blandishments,  and  has 
forever  abandoned  all  thought  of  the  miserable  Dru- 
silla !  > 

" '  Then  you  regret  your  false  knight,  and  still 
love  only  Sir  Lionel !  '  I  exclaimed,  in  a  tone  which 
I  vainly  endeavored  to  render  free  from  reproach. 

"  She  understood  me,  and  replied,  with  new-born 
frankness,  the  offspring  of  her  perusal  of  Erudito's 
'magic  gift,  '  My  behavior  to  you  this  morning, 
gallant  stranger,  warrants  your  rebuke.  It  was  my 
old  self  then  acting.  It  was  the  coquette  —  the  vain, 
thoughtless  beauty  —  heedless  of  what  pain  she  might 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  203 

inflict,  while  intent  solely  upon  conquest  and  securing 
new  worship.  Be  generous  as  you  are  brave,  kind 
stranger,  and  withdraw  not  your  proffers  of  assist- 
ance from  an  unhappy  damsel  because  she  has  the 
courage  to  own  the  truth.  Be  content  to  think  her 
candor  renders  her  more  worthy  of  your  help,  though 
not  of  your  love  ;  and  still  benevolently  strive  to 
relieve  her  from  distress,  even  when  she  honestly 
avows  that  she  loves  another  better  than  yourself. 
Above  all,  do  not  call  Sir  Lionel  false  knight.  He 
was  ever  true  and  kind,  till  I  urged  him  beyond  for- 
bearance. His  further  submission  to  my  caprice  and 
tyranny  would  have  been  scarcely  manly  ;  and  if,  in- 
deed, his  constancy  should  have  swerved  in  the  trial 
to  which,  I  doubt  not,  it  has  been  subjected  by  the 
arts  of  Subtilia,  I  may  mourn  his  loss  —  as  I  must 
eternally — but  I  shall  have  only  my  own  former 
self  to  blame  for  the  cessation  of  his  love.7 

"  Again  the  voice  ceased  with  a  plaintive  cadence, 
and  I  heard  naught  but  the  nightingale's  musical 
descant  and  the  soft  plashing  of  the  fountain,  which 
seemed  faint  echoes  of  Brasilia's  love  and  tears. 

11  Her  contrition  and  her  ingenuous  self-blame 
wrought  their  due  effect  upon  me,  and,  after  a  mo- 
ment's pause,  I  burst  forth  in  cordial  expressions  of 
my  willingness  to  serve  her,  and  to  do  all  I  could  to 
restore  the  lovers  to  each  other,  unthoughtful  of  any 
more  selfish  reward  than  the  happiness  of  promoting 
theirs. 

"  '  'T  is  no  more  than  I  believed  of  you,  generous 
stranger/  she  exclaimed  ;  '  your  bearing  is  frank  and 
noble  ;  and  think  not  now  that  I  flatter  you  lightly, 


204  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

as  I  perhaps  might  have  done  before  I  beheld  my  two 
portraits  truly  depicted  in  your  wondrous  volume 
there.  My  abhorrence  of  my  former  self,  and  my 
hope  of  what  my  present  self  may  eventually  become 
through  the  meek  teaching  ©f  an  awakened  con- 
science, authorize  my  telling  you  that  I  confide  en- 
tirely in  your  friendly  goodness,  as  expressed  by 
your  every  look  and  manner.  Take,  then,  this  ruby 
ring,  find  out  my  true  knight,  Sir  Lionel,  and  give 
him  the  token,  with  Brasilia's  full  avowal  of  her  af- 
fection, of  her  self-blame,  and  of  her  sole  hope  now 
consisting  in  his  unaltered  faith  towards  one  who 
will  devote  her  whole  life  to  prove  worthy  of  his 
love.7 

"  As  she  ceased  speaking,  a  small  gold-fish  swam 
towards  the  marble  brink,  holding  in  its  mouth  the 
heart-shaped  ruby  ring,  which  I  immediately  recog- 
nized to  be  the  one  I  had  beheld  that  morning  on 
Brasilia's  white  hand. 

"  As  I  reached  forth  mine  for  the  token,  I  renewed 
my  assurances  of  fidelity  to  her  service,  and,  bidding 
her  be  of  good  cheer  as  to  the  success  of  my  enter- 
prise, I  withdrew,  determined  to  set  forth  in  quest 
of  her  knight  by  earliest  dawn  on  the  morrow. 

"  I  slept  in  one  of  the  sumptuous  bed-chambers  in 
the  deserted  abode  of  the  enchantress  Subtilia  ;  but 
my  dreams  were  calm,  and  my  slumbers  refreshing, 
—  mayhap  none  the  less  so  that  my  mind  was  free 
from  any  thoughts  of  a  flirtation,  and  the  thousand 
tormenting  solicitudes  and  misgivings  of  a  growing 
though  fancied  preference. 

"  On  the  following  morning  I  rose  eagerly  to  my 


* 

KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  205 

task  ;  but,  previous  to  my  departure,  I  stole  down  to 
the  low  grating  of  the  dungeon  window,  beyond  the 
terrace,  that  I  might  say  a  parting  word  of  hopeful 
comfort  to  the  fair  Drusilla,  if  she  should  be  returned 
thither,  and  awake  to  note  me. 

.  "  The  morning  sun  was  up  in  his  glory,  and,  dart- 
ing his  kindly  rays  athwart  the  iron  bars,  showed  me 
the  form  of  the  fair  Drusilla  stretched  upon  her 
prison-pallet,  but  with  a  smile  of  loving  brightness 
and  artless  joy  upon  her  countenance,  that  bespoke  a 
pure  renovated  heart,  and  dreams  of  a  happy  future. 
That  her  first  waking  thoughts  might  partake  of 
their  cheerful  hue,  I  hastily  gathered  some  wreaths 
of  honeysuckle  blossoms,  emblems  of  hopeful  con- 
stancy, and,  twining  them  through  the  grating,  I 
hurried  away  on  my  quest  for  her  lover.  Remem- 
bering her  words,  I  shaped  my  course  in  a  southerly 
direction,  and  found  that  it  led  me  across  the  green 
alleys  and  terrace-walks  of  the  noble  garden  and 
pleasure-grounds  that  stretched  away  from  the  back 
of  Subtilia's  mansion,  until  I  reached  the  open  coun- 
try beyond.  Here  the  aspect  of  the  place  changed  ; 
it  became  more  hilly,  broken,  and  precipitous,  though 
still  romantically  beautiful,  being  clothed  with  abun- 
dant verdure,  and  the  most  luxuriant  trees,  of  grace- 
ful shape  and  varied  species. 

•  "  I  now  approached  the  borders  of  a  lake,  that  lay 
in  calm  glassy  expanse,  bearing  in  the  centre  of  its 
crystal  bosom  a  richly-wooded  island,  green  and 
bowery, —  a  fitting  resort  for  an  enchantress  and  her 
voluptuous  train.  A  gilded  boat  floated  idly  to  and 
fro,  with  purple  sail  and  fringed  awning,  beneath 


206  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

which  sat  a  nymph  loosely  clad  in  glittering  raiment, 
whose  occupation  seemed  that  of  ferrying  between 
the  shore  and  the  island  those  who  wished  to  cross 
the  lake. 

11  Unwilling,  however,  to  expose  myself  to  the  ob- 
servation of  any  of  Subtilia's  minions,  one  of  whom 
this  nymph  probably  was,  I  resolved  to  wait  until  the 
gilded  bark  should  have  floated  further  away,  before 
I  emerged  from  the  thicket  where  I  now  stood 
screened ;  and,  accordingly,  when  she  had  nearly 
reached  the  overhanging  branches  of  the  island 
trees,  I  plunged  softly  into  the  lake,  and,  swimming, 
speedily  made  my  way  to  a  green  nook  beyond  the 
landing-place  where  the  nymph  plied  her  bark.  In 
this  leafy  cover  did  I  lie  quietly  concealed  for  some 
little  time,  drying  my  wet  garments,  and  marking 
the  beauty  of  the  drooping  boughs  that  dipped  their 
pendent  leaves  into  the  waters,  to  meet  and  kiss 
their  twin  semblance  ;  while  the  cool  umbrageous 
reflection  seemed  to  shrink  and  tremble  coyly,  glid- 
ing away  elusive  from  beneath  their  playful  touch. 

11  Presently  a  delicious  sound  of  music  crept  into 
my  ears  ;  a  lulling  harmony  of  blended  wind  instru- 
ments, that  swelled  and  rose  majestically  from  mur- 
muring softness  into  loud  outpouring  strains,  then 
sunk  again  in  soothing  cadence.  At  one  moment  a 
tender,  passionate  melody  breathed  alone  its  persua- 
sive accents  in  eloquent  entreaty  ;  then  the  impera- 
tive thrill  of  silver  trumpets  and  loud-voiced  clarions 
would  ring  forth,  amid  the  impressive  sway  and 
deep-toned  richness  of  trombones  and  bass-horns  ; 
and  anon  the  lingering  liquid  notes  of  recurring 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  207 

gentleness  and  beauty  would  enchain  the  attention 
in  stronger  and  more  willing  bondage. 

"  Drawn  by  the  luscious  strains  to  a  nearer  enjoy- 
ment of  their  sounds,  I  left  my  leafy  covert,  and 
made  my  way  through  the  grove  that  surrounded 
me  ;  but,  on  approaching  a  thick-pleached  hedge 
that  seemed  to  encircle  the  spot  whence  the  music 
proceeded,  I  looked  through  the  close  interstices  of 
its  branches,  and  beheld  a  scene  that  at  once  riveted 
my  attention,  and  drew  it  firmly  towards  the  object 
I  had  in  view,  —  the  disenthralment  of  Drusilla's 
lover,  Sir  Lionel. 

"  On  a  rustic  throne  of  moss  and  mingled  flowers 
reclined  the  enchantress  SubtiMa.  She  was  attired 
in  gorgeous  satin  robes,  of  the  hue  which  the  pheas- 
ant 's  throat  displays  when  the  bird  basks  in  rays  of 
sunshine  ;  on  her  arms  and  breast  glowed  gems  of 
rarest  water  —  the  diamond,  the  sapphire,  the  ruby, 
and  the  emerald ;  and  amid  her  raven  hair  lurked 
pearls  of  orient  worth,  like  clusters  of  starry  jasmine 
peeping  from  among  their  dark  foliage.  Her  beauty 
well  became  this  attire  ;  it  was  haughty  and  com- 
manding, and  her  eyes  sparkled  with  conscious 
power  and  proud  dominion. 

"  On  the  grass  at  her  feet  lay  a  steel-clad  knight, 
idly  waving  a  fan  of  snowy  feathers,  the  riband  of 
which  still  clung  round  the  wrist  of  its  beauteous 
mistress  ;  but  I  marked  that  his  eyes  seldom  rose  to 
meet  those  of  the  enchantress,  which  often  sought 
his.  I  saw  that  they  were  not  occupied  with  the 
light  figures  of  the  nymphs  who  were  floating  in  a 
mazy  dance  before  him ;  I  could  see  that  they  were 


208  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

not  even  following  the  air-drawn  circles  which  he 
was  listlessly  describing  with  the  waving  fan  in  his 
hand  ;  but  I  perceived  that  they  were  most  frequently 
fixed,  in  sad,  abstracted  gaze,  upon  a  ring  which  he 
wore  on  his  finger  —  a  lustrous  opal.  His  continued 
abstraction  at  length  became  apparent  to  Subtilia, 
for,  saying,  '  You  are  weary  of  this  dancing  and  this 
music,  dear  knight ;  I  will  bid  them  begone,  and  you 
shall  tell  me  what  occupies  your  thoughts/  she 
waved  the  nyrnphs  to  retire,  and  the,  musicians  to 
cease  playing.  Then  black  pages,  attired  in  white 
and  scarlet,  brought  vases  of  gold,  and  flasks  of 
crystal  enriched  with  silver  frost-work,  from  which 
they  poured  rubious  and  amber-tinted  wines  into  gob- 
lets encrusted  with  gems,  and  crowned  with  flowers, 
and  handed  them,  together  with  cool  fruits  heaped  in 
tempting  groups,  upon  chased  salvers  and  chargers, 
to  the  enchantress  and  her  guest. 

"  But  the  wine  brought  no  exhilaration,  the  fruits 
no  refreshment  to  the  satiated  palate  of  the  knight ; 
he  appeared  rather  to  be  overwhelmed  than  revived 
by  the  succession  of  voluptuous  pleasures  heaped 
upon  him  by  his  gracious  entertainer,  and  I  could 
perceive  that  the  languid  sigh  he  uttered  was  not  so 
much  one  of  enjoyment  as  of  oppression  and  palled 
appetite,  while  his  thoughts  were  so  evidently  wan- 
dering from  the  scene  before  him,  that  Subtilia  again 
challenged  them,  and  said, 

"  '  You  long  for  more  stirring  scenes  ;  is  it  not  so, 
dear  knight  ?  You  weary  of  this  soft  repose  and 
perpetual  inaction.  To-morrow  we  will  repair  to  the 
main  land,  and  enjoy  all  the  vivacity  and  animation 


KIT  BAM,  MARINER.  209 

of  the  chase.  My  hunting-lodge  shall  be  prepared  ; 
the  fleetest  hounds,  the  swiftest  horses,  shall  be  at 
our  command ;  and  we  will  rouse  the  stag  or  the  fero- 
cious boar,  while  our  steeds  bear  us  flying  along  to 
the  spirited  call  of  the  bugles,  and  the  far-resounding 
shouts  of  the  hunters.  Come/  added  she,  seeing 
that  a  light  beamed  in  the  eyes  of  Sir  Lionel,  at  this 
mention  of  something  in  the  shape  of  active  pursuit, 
and  relief  from  the  round  of  insipid  diversions  and 
sensualities  in  which  he  had  lately  been  steeped, 
'  come,  you  shall  give  me  some  reward  for  my  prom- 
ised hunting-party  ;  you  shall  give  me  that  gem  from 
your  finger.  I  grudge  the  many  thoughtful  looks 
you  bestow  on  the  senseless  opal ;  when  transferred 
to  my  hand,  I  shall  better  endure  that  it  should  at- 
tract your  gaze  ;  it  will  remind  you  that  that  little 
hand  seeks  no  dearer  employment  than  to  confer 
benefits  and  endless  happiness  on  its  cherished 
friend  Sir  Lionel.' 

."  The  enchantress  extended  her  fair  hand,  as  she 
spoke,  with  a  smile  full  of  blandishment,  expecting 
that  the  knight  would  place  the  ring  on  her  finger, 
fascinated  by  her  encouraging  condescension  ;  but 
he  merely  raised  the  lady's  hand  to  his  lips,  mutely 
declining  to  yield  her  the  opal. 

"  Subtilia's  dark  eyes  flashed  fire  at  this  refusal. 

'"Ungrateful  knight! '  she  exclaimed;  'no  com- 
plaisance moves  you,  no  generous  confidence  can 
win  that  stubborn  heart  of  thine !  Mock  not  my 
kindness,  disdain  not  my  affection,  or  learn  to  dread 
the  animosity  which  may,  ere  long,  replace  in  my 
14 


210  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

bosom  the  too  fond  weakness  with  which  I  have 
hitherto  regarded  you  !  ; 

"  So  saying,  the  enchantiess  swept  past,  casting 
an  angry  glance  towards  him,  and  quitted  the  spot, 
surrounded  by  her  train  of  pages  and  attendants. 

"  The  knight  fell  again  into  his  abstracted  gaze 
upon  the  ring. 

"  'Too  well  she  knows/  he  murmured,  'that,  to 
yield  her  this,  would  be  to  relinquish  the  last  slender 
tie  which  binds  me  to  a  better  existence  —  the  last 
slight  defence  I  possess  against  becoming  entirely 
the  victim  of  her  power.  No  !  not  to  her  —  not  to 
her/  he  added,  as  he  pressed  the  gem  passionately 
to  his  lips.  '  Yet  why  should  I  cling  to  the  vain 
hope  that  Drusilla  will  ever  free  us  from  the  spells 
that  enthrall  us  both,  by  uttering  the  humble  words 
that  would  disenchant  us.  Alas  !  capricious,  impe 
rious,  as  she  is,  spite  of  her  bewitching  loveliness, 
how  can  I  hope  that  she  even  bears  me  in  remem- 
brance ?  ' 

"  On  hearing  these  words  of  Sir  Lionel,  I  stepped 
forth  from  my  leafy  screen,  where  I  had  hitherto 
concealed  myself  behind  the  hedge,  and  abruptly 
placed  myself  before  him,  confronting  him,  and  hold- 
ing forth  my  hand,  which  bore  the  heart-shaped  ruby 
ring. 

"  He  recognized  the  token  instantly  ;  he  started, 
and,  springing  to  his  feet,  made  as  if  he  would  seize 
me  by  the  throat,  while  he  exclaimed : 

"  '  Caitiff!  where  did  you  obtain  that  ring  ?  ' 

"  '  Hold  ! 7  I  cried  ;  '  let  not  the  valiant  Sir  Lionel 
commit  an  injustice  he  may  repent,  and  mistreat  the 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  211 

messenger  who  bears  him  tidings  of  joy  and  deliver- 
ance. This  ring  is  a  token  from  the  fair  Drusilla, 
sent  to  her  true  knight,  with  loving  words  and  ac- 
knowledgment of  error/ 

"'How!  error!7  exclaimed  he,  wildly,  as  he 
seized  the  heart-shaped  ruby,  and  covered  it  with 
kisses  and  fond  murmurs  of  delight. 

"  I  hastily  explained  to  him  the  whole  of  Dru- 
silla7 s  adventure  with  myself,  the  revelation  which 
the  '  Book  of  Self-Disenchantment 7  had  been  the 
means  of  making  to  her,  how  it  had  opened  her  eyes 
to  the  frivolity  of  her  past  conduct,  how  deep  was 
the  regret  she  expressed,  how  fervent  was  her  hope 
of  future  improvement  in  her  own  nature,  as  well  as 
of  faith  and  constancy  from  him,  and  how  she  looked 
to  him  as  her  deliverer,  her  true  knight,  her  fond 
lover,  her  long-beloved  Sir  Lionel ;  in  fine,  I  deliv- 
ered to  him  the  whole  of  her  humble,  loving  message. 

"'And  can  she  deal  thus  generously  by  me? 
Error  I '  again  exclaimed  the  knight.  '  No,  she  was 
not  so  much  in  error,  as  it  was  I  that  was  to  blame 
for  my  petulance,  my  wilful  rashness.  But,  let  us 
go  ;  let  us  hasten,  kind  stranger,  to  my  beloved 
lady  ;  let  us  lose  not  a  moment  in  returning  to  free 
Drusilla  from  the  toils  in  which  the  wicked  Subtilia 
has  so  long  held  us  both.' 

"As  we  hurried  towards  the  lake,  I  asked  the 
knight  how  it  was  he  could  now  escape  from  the 
bondage  in  which  he  had  hitherto  been  detained  on 
this  island  by  the  enchantress  ;  and  he  explained  to 
me  that  the  words  of  his  rash  vow  had  placed  him 
in  her  power,  until  the  heart-shaped  ruby  ring  should 


212  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

be  yielded  to  him,  with  words  of  humility  and  ac- 
knowledgment of  blame  on  the  part  of  Brasilia. 
That,  therefore,  the  possession  of  her  token,  which  I 
had  happily  brought  him,  freed  himself  from  the 
thraldom  to  which  he  had  till  now  been  subjected  ; 
and  that  it  only  remained  to  effect  a  personal  ex- 
change of  the  opal  ring  for  the  one  she  had  sent  him, 
with  his  lady,  Brasilia,  as  speedily  as  might  be,  in 
order  to  liberate  them  both,  entirely  and  forever, 
from  the  wicked  arts  of  Subtilia,  who  had  no  power 
to  effect  harm  against  two  constant  hearts  bound  by 
loving  union. 

"  '  These  hearts  will  be  henceforth  secured  to  each 
other  on  the  firm  basis  of  mutual  esteem  and  self- 
diffidence/  concluded  Sir  Lionel,  with  happy  exulta- 
tion, '  and  will  be  defended  by  their  own  faith  and 
truth  towards  each  other,  no  less  than  by  the  pro- 
tection of  the  opal  and  ruby  talisrnanic  rings,  which 
were  the  natal  gifts  of  two  powerful  fairies,  Brasilia's 
and  my  own  respective  godmothers.  It  was  the  un- 
happy difference  which  arose  between  us  respecting 
these  rings  that  threw  us  within  the  power  of  Sub- 
tilia's  spells  ;  but,  once  exchanged  in  amity  between 
my  lady  and  myself,  the  opal  and  the  ruby  will 
restore  us  to  the  safe  guardianship  of  the  benevolent 
fairies.7 

"  We  lost  no  time  in  gaining  the  brink  of  the  lake, 
where  I  hesitated  for  an  instant,  as  I  thought  of  the 
heavy  suit  of  steel  in  which  my  companion  was  dad 
from  head  to  foot ;  but  Sir  Lionel,  wholly  engrossed 
by  his  eagerness  to  rejoin  his  lady-love,  would  have 
plunged  in  and  swam  across,  had  not  a  light  fairy 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  213 

skiff,  drawn  by  two  snow-white  swans,  approached 
the  shore  where  we  stood,  and  conveyed  us  across 
the  crystal  surface  of  the  water,  to  the  opposite 
shore. 

"  Animated  by  this  signal  of  his  restoration  to  the 
guidance  and  protection  of  the  good  fairy,  Sir  Lionel 
sped  on  in  the  direction  of  his  mistress7  prison, 
whence  he  hoped  to  effect  her  deliverance  before  the 
arrival  of  the  enchantress,  should  she  by  chance  have 
discovered  his  escape,  and  be  in  pursuit  of  him. 

"Without  mischance,  we  reached  the  gardens  of 
Subtilia's  mansion,  and  I  led  Sir  Lionel  at  once  to 
the  low  grated  window  of  the'  dungeon  where  his 
lovely  mistress  was  confined.  He  knelt  to  receive 
the  gentle  greeting  with  which  she  flew  to  welcome 
him,  but  she  had  no  sooner  extended  her  hand  tow- 
ards him,  to  receive  the  opal  which  he  placed  with 
transport  upon  her  slender  finger,  than  the  bars  of 
her  prison  melted  and  vanished  into  air,  permitting 
Drusilla  to  throw  herself  into  the  arms  of  her  true 
knight,  and  give  him  rapturous  assurance  of  her 
love,  and  her  true  repentance  of  her  former  coy 
caprice. 

"  I  left  them  to  this  blissful  exchange  of  mutual 
forgiveness  and  tender  vows,  while  I  sauntered  to 
and  fro  upon  the  terrace,  until  they  should  rejoin  me 
to  enter  the  mansion  together,  that  we  might  seek 
refreshment  after  our  day's  anxiety  and  fatigue  ;  for 
I,  who  had  no  lady-love  to  engage  my  thoughts, 
began  to  indulge  in  sundry  visions  of  good  cheer, 
and  looked  forward  to  the  enjoyment  of  a  comfortable 
.  repast,  which  I  felt  would  be  extremely  acceptable, 


214  THE    STRANGE*  ADVENTURES    OF 

and  which  I  knew,  from  previous  experience,  the 
larder  and  cellar  of  Subtilia's  mansion  could  furnish 
in  excellent  abundance. 

"  I  was  revolving  these  pleasant  speculations,  and 
endeavoring  to  pacify  my  growing  appetite  (which 
you  may  have  perceived,  my  dears,  on  various  occa- 
sions in  the  course  of  these  yarns  of  mine,  always 
led  me  to  pay  careful  attention  to  its  demands,  —  a 
sailor  should  always  stow  in  good  ballast,  you  know), 
by  considering  with  what  delicacy  I  should  first 
assuage  its  voracity,  when  my  attention  was  at- 
tracted by  the  appearance  of  a  glittering  object  in 
the  distance,  approaching  from  the  same  quarter 
whence  Sir  Lionel  and  myself  had  just  arrived ;  that 
is  to  say,  in  the  direction  of  the  lake. 

"As  it  came  nearer,  I  could  distinguish  the  glit- 
tering object  to  be  a  golden  car,  in  which  sat  the 
haughty  Subtilia,  drawn  by  four  fiery  dragons.  They 
ramped  and  tore  up  the  ground  before  them,  emit- 
ting flames  and  glowing  sparks  from  their  nostrils  ; 
but  the  fury  and  rage  that  shot  their  angry  lightnings 
from  the  flashing  eyes  of  the  enchantress  herself 
shone  with  a  far  more  terrible  glare,  and  seemed  to 
scorch  and  wither  all  that  she  looked  upon. 

"  I  called  loudly,  to  warn  the  lovers  of  the  ap- 
proach of  their  enemy  ;  and  they  had  scarcely  reached 
my  side,  to  learn  the  cause  of  my  alarm,  when  Sub- 
tilia arrived  at  the  steps  of  the  terrace.  But,  ere 
the  enchantress  could  descend  from  her  car,  two 
benignant  forms  were  seen  to  emerge  from  the  centre 
of  a  thickly-clustering  rose-bush  near  at  hand  ;  and, 
warning  Subtilia  to  advance  no  nearer,  they  pointed 


KIT   BAM,    MARINER.  215 

triumphantly  to  the  mystic  rings,  which  shone  upon 
the  lovers'  fingers  in  loving  exchange,  as  they  stood 
hand  in  hand  together. 

"  '  Thy  spells  are  broken  !  thy  power  is  at  an  end, 
vile  sorceress  ! ;  said  one  of  the  good  fairies.  'Against 
frivolity,  vanity,  petulance,  and  rashness,  the  blan- 
dishments of  the  voluptuary,  the  arts  of  the  wicked, 
may  prevail ;  but  against  truth,  modest  worth,  and 
the  loving  faith  that  is  the  offspring  of  self-knowledge 
and  generous  forbearance,  the  shafts  of  envy  arid  the 
snares  of  worldly  pleasure  fall  pointless  and  ineffect- 
ual. Begone,  therefore,  and  seek  no  longer  to  dis- 
turb the  union  of  two  wedded  hearts  1 ' 

"  The  enchantress  quailed  beneath  the  virtuous 
rebuke,  and,  with  a  dark  scowl,  shrunk  back,  while 
the  other  fairy  godmother,  who  had  remained  silent 
while  her  sister  addressed  Subtilia,  now  advanced  to 
where  I  stood  with  Sir  Lionel  and  Drusilla,  and  bid- 
ding us  follow  her,  she  led  us  from  the  terrace 
through  the  marble  hall  of  the  mansion,  into  the 
avenue  in  front,  where  we  found  a  travelling  equi- 
page, with  six  cream-colored  horses,  awaiting  us. 
Then,  bestowing  a  blessing  on  the  two  lovers,  she 
bid  us  hasten  our  departure  to  the  court  of  Brasilia's 
father,  where  we  should  be  welcomed  by  the  good 
old  king,  who  had  long  mourned  his  fair  daughter's 
absence,  and  pined  for  her  return. 

"  Before  night  closed  in  we  reached  the  palace, 
where,  you  may  imagine,  great  were  the  rejoicings 
which  greeted  the  princess  and  her  knightly  lover 
on  our  arrival ;  and  where,  I  assure  you,  I  heartily 
enjoyed  the  sumptuous  banquet  which  was  served  in 


216          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

celebration  of  their  happy  return.  The  royal  house- 
hold, I  have  no  doubt,  exerted  their  utmost  resources 
and  used  their  best  speed  ;  but,  I  can  tell  you,  after 
such  long  fasting  as  mine,  the  least  delay  of  the 
meal  seemed  an  age,  and  when  it  did  appear  on 
table  I  made  up  amply  for  lost  time,  as  you  must 
now  do,  my  dears  ;  so  off  with  you,  lest  you  reach 
home  too  late  for  supper. " 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  21 T 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

THE   DIAMOND   MERCHANT. WILL  WAVELANCE'S    ISLAND. SCYLLA 

AND   CHARYBDIS. THE   SIRENS. POLYPHEMUS. EGYPT. 

NEXT  evening  the  old  mariner  resumed  his  yarns 
as  follows : 

"I  spent  some  time  very  merrily  and  happily  at 
this  court,  my  dears,  in  the  pleasant  society  of  my 
friends,  Sir  Lionel,  Drusilla,  and  the  old  king,  her 
father,  who  all  treated  me  most  kindly. 

"But,  to  tell  the  truth,  I  often  found  myself  han- 
kering after  the  company  of  the  seafaring  men  who 
visited  the  city,  or  lounging  down  to  the  wharfs  and 
quays  to  gain  what  intelligence  I  could  of  the  ar- 
riving and  departing  vessels. 

"  One  evening  I  was  drinking  some  sherbet  in  a 
public  garden  much  resorted  to  by  ship-captains, 
merchants,  and  travellers,  while  I  amused  myself  by 
listening  to  their  talk,  and  their  accounts  of  the  dif- 
ferent voyages  they  had  made.  My  attention  was 
more  particularly  directed  to  a  small  company  who 
were  assembled  round  a  table  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  one  at  which  I  sat,  and  who  were  highly 
diverted  with  the  droll  stories  and  adventures  re- 
lated for  their  entertainment  by  a  jolly  sea-captain, 
who  was  drinking  as  hard  as  he  was  talking.  On 
one  side  of  him  sat  a  quiet,  sly-looking  youth,  and 
on  the  other  a  spare,  haggard  man,  with  restless 


218          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

eyes,  and  a  nervous  mouth,  who,  with  the  rest  of 
the  listeners  seated  round  the  table,  was  laughing 
at  some  exaggerated  account  of  the  wondrous  prop- 
erties of  a  small  telescope  which  the  captain  was 
holding  in  his  hands,  and  which  he  declared  had 
been  given  to  him  by  the  Emperor  of  Morocco.  The 
telescope  itself  was  ordinary  enough,  being  merely 
a  glass  set  in  brass  and  japan  ;  but  the  case  belong- 
ing to  it,  and  which  lay  upon  the  table  before  him, 
close  to  his  drinking-goblet,  I  perceived  was  inlaid 
with  precious  stones.  In  the  midst  of  the  mirth 
occasioned  by  the  captain's  rhodomontade,  I  ob- 
served that  the  eyes  of  the  youth  were  fastened  upon 
the  case,  and  I  could  see  that  those  restless  ones  of 
the  other  man  very  frequently  wandered  in  the  same 
direction.  Presently  the  captain  raised  his  goblet 
to  his  lips,  while  the  company  exploded  in  a  roar  of 
merriment  occasioned  by  the  witticism  with  which 
he  had  concluded  his  story ;  and  in  that  moment  I 
saw  the  youth  seize  the  case,  and  convey  it,  as  he 
thought,  unobserved,  into  his  bosom.  But  the  sea- 
captain,  though  a  good  deal  intoxicated,  instantly 
perceived  the  loss  of  his  case,  and,  turning  suddenly 
upon  the  spare  man  with  the  restless  eyes,  he  seized 
him  by  the  collar,  and  loudly  accused  him  of  the 
theft.  The  man  turned  deadly  pale,  trembled  vio- 
lently, and  exhibited  all  the  marks  of  guilt ;  when 
the  sea-captain,  storming  and  raving,  insisted  that 
he  should  be  searched  upon  the  spot,  and  compelled 
to  give  up  the  stolen  case.  I  stepped  forward,  and, 
lis  soon  as  I  could  gain  a  hearing  amidst  the  uproar 
and  confusion  that. had  arisen,  I  bade  them  detain 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  219 

the  youth  and  search  him,  as  the  real  culprit.  The 
lad,  who  till  then  had  kept  his  demure  look,  and  had 
waited  calmly  on  the  spot,  as  if  merely  one  of  the 
spectators,  now  vehemently  protested  his  innocence, 
and  asked  them,  in  piteous  tones,  if  they  would  stand 
by  and  see  a  poor  lad  insulted  by  suspicion  and  slan- 
der. The  tipsy  captain,  with  the  usual  blindness 
and  obstinacy  of  those  in  his  condition,  seemed  in- 
clined to  believe  him,  and  returned  pertinaciously  to 
his  collaring  and  abusing  the  spare  man,  who  trem- 
bled still,  and  resisted  anxiously  the  threatened 
search.  I  interfered  between  them,  and  calmly  re- 
peated my  desire  that  the  youth  should  be  searched 
first,  as  I  had  actually  beheld  him  commit  the  theft, 
and  convey  the  jewelled  case  to  his  bosom.  On  this 
plain  accusation,  the  by-standers  seized  the  lad,  and, 
in  a  few  moments,  his  guilt  was  made  manifest  by 
the  production  of  the  case  from  his  breast-pocket. 
There  was  a  universal  expression  of  disgust  at  the 
depravity  of  the  young  sinner,  who  proved  to  be  a 
common  thief,  well  known  in  the  city,  haunting  the 
public  places  and  thoroughfares  of  most  resort,  and 
trading  upon  his  demure  looks  and  his  nimble  fingers. 
As  the  crowd  dispersed  and  led  him  away,  the  cap- 
tain made  a  sort  of  clumsy  apology  to  the  spare  man 
for  having  wronged  him  by  misplaced  suspicion  and 
rough  usage,  and  then  went  away  likewise,  leaving 
the  man  and  myself  standing  together  on  the  scene 
of  the  late  uproar.  We  were  no  sooner  alone,  than 
the  man  with  the  restless  eyes  grasped  me  by  the 
hand,  and  thanked  me  warmly  for  my  interference, 
and  for  having  saved  him  from  being  searched.  Be- 


220          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

sides  the  ignominy,  he  told  me  that  he  had  reason  to 
dread  other  consequences  of  a  personal  search  ;  from 
which,  he  said,  he  could  never  sufficiently  acknowl- 
edge my  goodness,  in  having  been  the  means  of 
preserving  him.  He  then  explained  to  me  that  he 
was  a  diamond-merchant ;  that  he  was  in  the  habit 
of  trading  largely  in  those  precious  stories,  and  that 
he,  in  fact,  had  an  immense  quantity  concealed  upon 
his  person  at  that  very  time,  which,  if  discovered  in 
the  presence  of  so  many  people  as  had  been  there 
assembled,  would  have  caused  him  never-ceasing 
anxiety  and  alarm  for  the  future.  He  said  that  his 
gaze  had  been  attracted  to  the  precious  stones  set  in 
the  stolen  case,  merely  from  his  habit  of  judging  of 
the  comparative  value  of  gems,  and  that  he  had 
looked  at  them  only  with  the  eye  of  a  lapidary.  He 
told  me  that  he  was  to  sail  on  the  morrow  for  Cairo, 
where  he  expected  to  dispose  of  his  diamonds  to 
great  advantage  ;  that  the  captain  of  the  vessel  in 
which  he  was  about  to  sail  was  his  own  cousin,  but 
that,  nevertheless,  he  should  be  very  glad  if  I  would 
engage  to  accompany  him  in  his  voyage,  as  the  gen- 
erous protection  which  I  had  already  afforded  him 
was  a  guarantee  that  I  should  be  faithfully  attached 
to  his  interests.  As  I  was  very  anxious  to  form  an 
engagement  which  should  lead  me  to  sea  again,  and 
throw  me  in  the  way  of  fresh  adventures,  I  closed 
with  his  offer,  and  promised  to  be  ready  to  go  with 
him  on  the  following  day. 

"  When  I  took  leave  of  Sir  Lionel  and  Drusilla, 
they  used  many  kind  expressions  of  regard  and  grat- 
itude ;  and,  forcing  upon  my  acceptance  a  superb 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  221 

ring  of  blended  opals  and  rubies,  in  commemoration 
of  my  adventure  with  them,  they  entreated  me  to 
bestow  on  them  the  precious  volume  given  to  me  by 
Erudito,  which  had  been  the  means  of  conducing  so 
greatly  to  bring  about  their  present  happiness,  and 
which,  they  told  me,  should  be  handed  down  as  a 
cherished  heirloom,  in  honor  and  veneration,  to  their 
children's  children. 

"  I  had  not  sailed  many  days  with  my  new  acquaint- 
ance, the  diamond  merchant,  before  I  half  repented 
that  I  had  engaged  to  accompany  him.  The  voyage 
itself  was  pleasant  and  smooth  enough,  but  it  made 
me  melancholy  to  be  with  so  spiritless,  so  uncom- 
fortable, a  companion  as  this  man  proved  to  be.  He 
was  rich,  but  he  was  miserable  ;  his  wealth,  instead 
of  bringing,  him  enjoyment,  was  productive  of  nothing 
but  anxiety,  mistrust,  and  unhappiness.  His  gains 
were  a  fancied  source  of  joy  and  pride  to  him  ;  but 
they  were  in  reality  no  other  than  a  nest  of  scorpions 
and  enemies,  which  repaid  his  love  by  disturbing  his 
repose,  and  embittering  his  life.  His  whole  existence 
was  a  dreary  mistake  ;  he  believed  he  was  acquiring 
treasure,  power,  luxury,  felicity,  and  he  was  hoarding 
up  wasted  health,  careful  days,  wakeful  nights,  un- 
generous misgivings  of  his  fellow-creatures,  and  the 
destruction  of  his  own  heart  and  mind.  The  man's 
spirit,  the"  very  essence  of  his  being,  seemed  concen-. 
trated  and  contained  in  those  bits  of  sparkling  stone 
which  he  carried  constantly  about  his  person,  en- 
closed in  a  small  casket.  The  burning  solicitude  to 
obtain  them,  and  to  obtain  them  at  the  lowest  pos- 
sible cost,  in  the  first  instance, —  the  gnawing  rest- 


222          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

lessness  that  consumed  his  days  in  protecting  them 
whilst  in  his  possession, —  the  wearing  anxiety  and 
perpetual  calculations  as  to  what  sums  they  would 
bring  him  when  disposed  of, —  all  combined  to  render 
his  daily  life  a  burthen  and  a  constant  fever,  rather 
than  the  enjoyment  of  existence  as  vouchsafed  by 
God  to  man.  How  is  it  that  human  beings  will  thus 
misuse  their  dearest  blessings,  and  convert  them  into 
curses  by  their  own  wilful  and  mistaken  blindness  ? 
I  pitied  this  man,  but  I  could  not  like  or  respect  him, 
for  all  his  riches  ;  and,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
engagement  I  had  voluntarily  entered  into,  to  go 
with  him  as  far  as  Cairo,  I  should  have  sought  the 
first  opportunity  of  quitting  his  society,  and  the  ves- 
sel in  which  we  sailed,  on  our  next  approaching  land. 
As  it  was,  I  endeavored  as  little  as  possible  to  note 
his  defects,  except  as  a  warning  to  myself,  should  I 
ever  detect  a  growing  inclination  for  money,  unac- 
companied by  a  careful  consideration  of  its  right 
uses. 

11  Others,  I  could  perceive,  were  less  conscientious 
with  regard  to  him  than  I  was  ;  for  his  cousin,  the 
captain  of  the  ship,  who,  notwithstanding  the  rela- 
tionship between  them,  could  perceive  the  suspicions 
which  he  shared  in  the  merchant's  mind  with  all  his 
other  associates,  did  not  scruple  to  play  with  his 
cousin's  fears,  and  amuse  himself  by  exciting  his 
alarm  groundlessly,  and  from  mere  love  of  mischief. 
He  would  make  ill-timed  allusions  to  the  casket, 
which  he  said  he  knew  was  in  his  cousin's  possession  ; 
he  would  banter  him  upon  his  expected  gains,  ask 
him  where  he  kept  his  hoard  of  money,  and  torment 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  223 

him  with  all  sorts  of  questions  about  his  will,  and 
about  his  own  hopes  of  inheriting  the  major  part  of 
all  these  riches,  which,  he  felt  sure,  were  being 
amassed  for  him. 

"  This  captain  was  a  wild,  thoughtless  fellow,  and 
excited  his  cousin's  distrust  and  dislike,  I  verily  be- 
lieve, almost  as  much  by  the  character  he  had  for- 
merly gained  of  being  a  spendthrift,  with  a  careless 
disregard  of  money, —  a  dissolute  prodigal,  a  reckless 
lender,  and  a  good-humored  though  poor  man, — 
almost  as  much  as  he  did  by  his  teasing  and  vexing 
the  merchant  personally. 

"  One  evening,  when  we  had  been  nearly  three 
weeks  at  sea,  the  ship  was  sailing  placidly  on  be- 
neath a  sky  of  azure,  when,  of  a  sudden,  a  violent 
hurricane  arose,  and,  in  fewer  moments  than  I  could 
have  thought  it  possible,  the  sea  was  dashing  over 
the  decks,  and  sweeping  all  before  it.  I  had  but 
just  time  to  mark  where  the  diamond  merchant  stood, 
grasping  anxiously  at  the  beloved  casket  concealed 
within  his  bosom,  while  the  captain  cast  a  malicious 
look  of  scrutiny  towards  him,  as  he  rushed  past  to 
deliver  orders  to  the  crew,  when  I  was  caught  by  a 
huge  wave,  as  it  rolled  over  the  deck,  and  was  car- 
ried in  the  midst  of  its  overwhelming  waters  into  the 
sea. 

11  The  suddenness  of  the  accident,  the  stunning 
force  of  the  blow,  the  wild  rush  of  the  surges,  all 
combined  to  deprive  me  of  my  faculties,  and  I  was 
conscious  of  nothing  more  until  I  found  myself  upon 
dry  land,  and  quite  alone. 

"  My  surprise  was  extreme  when  I  discovered  that 


224         THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

I  was  lying  upon  soft  grass  in  a  beautiful  tranquil 
spot,  and  with  a  serene  blue  sky  over  my  head  ;  for 
with  returning  consciousness  came  the  recollection 
of  the  cause  of  my  accident,  and  I  could  not  but  re- 
member that  there  was  a  storm  blowing  violently  at 
the  time  I  was  swept  overboard.  This  could  not 
have  been  so  very  long  ago,  for  night  had  not  yet 
closed  in,  and  I  knew  that  it  was  rather  late  in  the 
^afternoon  when  the  hurricane  arose.  I  raised  myself 
on  my  elbow,  and  gazed  around.  What  I  saw  was 
singular  beyond  expression  in  its  effect  upon  me  ; 
for  I  felt  as  if  I  had  been  suddenly  transported  to  a 
spot  well  known  .to  me,  though  I  was  equally  certain 
that  I  had  never  visited  it  before. 

"  There  lay  the  familiar  scene,  all  traced  in  vivid 
characters  before  me.  I  saw  the  simple  cell,  screened 
from  the  weather  by  a  lime-grove  ;  further  on  was  a 
mantled  pool,  and  around  were  scattered  pines  and 
cedars,  crab-trees,  clustering  filberd-bushes,  among 
which  fluttered  the  jay  and  the  nimble  marmoset ;  I 
recognized  the  shore,  that  bowed  over  its  wave-worn 
basis,  washed  by  the  foaming  brine  ;  the  very  grass 
seemed  known  to  me  as  it  grew,  lush  and  lusty  and 
green,  beneath  my  feet ;  and  the  air  breathed  upon 
me  sweetly,  as  if  I  had  been  previously  conversant 
with  its  peculiar  fragrance.  Had  I  met  with  all  this 
in  a  dream  ?  Or  how  ?  Or  where  ? 

"  I  arose  and  wandered  on,  where  every  successive 
step  brought  me  among  objects  that  struck  me  each 
ivith  a  sense  of  intimacy  that  belongs  only  to  the 
scenes  of  childhood,  many  years7  loving  acquaintance, 
or  daily  haunts  and  habits.  Here  were  mazes,  forth- 


KIT   BAM,    MARINER.  225 

rights,  and  meanders,  in  which  I  seemed  to  have 
strayed  ever  ;  here  were  fresh  springs,  brine-pits,  a 
short-grassed  green,  toothed  briers,  among  which  lay 
strewn  pig-nuts  and  berries,  all  homely  and  familiar 
as  the  lanes  and  hedge-rows  of  my  native  village. 

"  Nay,  a  solemn  and  strange  music,  that  sounded 
marvellous  sweet  as  it  crept  by  me  upon  the  waters, 
seemed  by  some  subtilty  of  the  isle  to  greet  me  as  a 
thing  natural  and  to  be  expected,  as  a  part  of  the 
place  I  knew  so  well.  The  very  terms  in  which 
these  things  addressed  themselves  to  my  fancy,  as  I 
gazed  upon  their  actual  reality,  seemed  the  reflex  of 
some  immortal  utterance  that  had  one  time  or  other 
vibrated  in  my  hearing  through  human  tones  ;  and 
then,  of  a  sudden,  the  whole  truth  flashed  upon  me. 
I  remembered  that  I  had  heard  my  dearest  early 
shipmate,  Will  Wavelance,  describe  to  me  in  his 
glowing  words  this  very  island,  with  a  witching  story 
of  a  banished  duke,  a  virgin  daughter,  a  shipwrecked 
lover, —  treachery,  treason,  loyal  faith,  magic  power, 
a  sprite,  and  an  evil  human  animal.  I  looked  round 
eagerly,  as  if  expecting  to  see  some  of  the  person- 
ages who  had  played  their  parts  in  this  story,  and 
on  this  very  scene  ;  when,  hearing  voices,  I  stepped 
aside  to  mark  who  might  come. 

"  There  were  two  I  knew  well :  the  first  was  a 
savage  freckled  whelp,  a  thing  most  brutish,  as  dis- 
proportioned  in  his  manners  as  in  his  shape,  who 
bore  under  one  arm  a  bottle  made  of  the  bark  of  a 
tree,  and  under  the  other  a  bowl  full  of  water  with 
berries  in  it,  which  he  devoured  ravenously,  with 
low  growls,  like  an  angry  bison,  while  he  taunted  and 
15 


226  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

reproached  the  airy  being  who  was  with  him.  This 
other  was  habited  something1  like  a  nymph  of  the  sea, 
though  seeming  more  ideal  still  —  but  an  air,  a  touch, 
a  feeling  ;  and,  while  he  playfully  replied  to  his  com- 
panion^ taunts,  he  flitted  to  and  fro  in  glad  buoy- 
ancy, half  flying,  half  swimming  —  now  sporting 
under  the  blossoms  that  hung  from  the  boughs  near 
—  now  emulating  the  bee  in  rifling  sweets  from  the 
cowslip's  bell  —  and  anon  speeding  back,  ere  you 
could  breathe  twice,  to  answer  his  savage  companion. 
I  gathered  from  what  passed  between  them,  that  the 
sudden  hurricane  had  been  raised  by  the  malicious 
wickedness  of  the  uncouth  savage,  and  had  been  as 
suddenly  allayed  by  the  interference  of  the  airy  be- 
ing, who  had  exerted  his  gentle  spiriting  in  behalf 
of  the  freighting  souls  within  our  ship. 

"  I  learned  that  the  savage  was  left  to  enjoy  his 
desired  sovereignty  of  the  island  by  the  airy  sprite, 
who  cared  only  to  be  as  free  as  mountain  winds,  and 
to  frolic  hither  and  thither  amid  the  elements,  as  his 
sportive  liberty-loving  nature  dictated,  only  interfer- 
ing where  his  gentle  influence  might  counteract  the 
baneful  one  which  the  brutish,  malignant  disposition 
of  the  other  led  him  to  exercise,  whenever  he  could, 
against  wandering  mariners  and  luckless  vessels  that 
approached  the  island. 

"  Abruptly  their  conference  came  to  a  close,  for 
the  sprite,  as  if  weary  of  further  intercourse  with  so 
uncongenial  a  nature,  suddenly  sprung  upon  the  back 
of  a  bat  as  it  flitted  by,  and  then,  riding  on  the  curled 
clouds,  was  soon  lost  to  view,  leaving  the  savage 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  227 

muttering  curses  and  threats,  in  the  impotent  rage  of 
baffled  spite. 

"  I,  too,  left  the  spot,  determined  to  try  and  find 
my  companions,  whom  I  hoped  to  rejoin  ere  they 
should  have  quitted  the  safe  harbor,  where  I  had 
learned  they  had  been  conducted  by  the  friendly 
sprite.  As  I  passed  the  mouth  of  the  cell,  I  looked 
in,  and  saw  some  scattered  chess-men  and  the  frag- 
ments of  a  broken  staff,  which  looked  as  if  it  had 
been  dug  from  its  burial-place  certain^  fathoms  in  the 
earth,  by  the  loving  labors  of  the  delicate  sprite, 
eager  to  preserve  some  relic  of  that  noble  master 
whom  he  had  once  served  without  or  grudge  or 
grumblings  in  the  old  bygone  times. 

"In  an  odd  angle  of  the  isle  I  found  the  ship  in 
safe  harborage ;  the  men  all  in  a  sort  of  sleepy 
stupor,  from  which  they  awaked  shortly  after  my 
arrival ;  then  came  the  diamond-merchant  and  his 
cousin,  the  captain,  who,  it  seems,  had  suffered  the 
same  fate  as  myself —  had  been  swept  overboard  dur 
ing  the  tempest,  and  had  been  wandering  ever  since 
about  the  island,  and  had  only  just  found  their  way 
back  to  the  vessel.  They  were  anxious  to  set  sail 
immediately,  which  we  accordingly  did,  while  they 
gave  us  a  confused  account  of  their  having  seen 
strange  shapes,  heard  singular  hollow  noises,  mingled 
with  the  hum  of  a  thousand  twangling  instruments, 
and,  at  intervals,  the  sound  of  a  pipe  and  tabor. 

"  As  for  me,  I  sat  for  some  time  apart,  gazing  ear- 
nestly on  the  receding  outline  of  the  island  as  our 
ship  sailed  away,  and  the  shore  faded  in  the  distant 
horizon.  The  names  of  Ariel,  Caliban,  flitted  across 


228  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

my  memory  as  being1  those  of  the  free  sprite  and  the 
uncouth  savage,  and  made  me  feel  that  I  had  indeed 
beheld  the  island  described  in  immortal  words  by  my 
beloved  friend  Will  Wavelance.  I  remember  him  well 
—  indeed,  he  was  one  of  those  men  whom,  once  to 
have  known,  is  never  to  forget.  He  would  sit  with 
me  in  the  night  watches  ;  and,  let  him  talk,  or  let 
him  be  silent,  there  was  something  in  his  very  glance 
that  made  all  nature  seem  more  glorious  and  beauti- 
ful. The  moon  shed  her  rays  more  glowingly  and 
more  brilliantly  for  his  presence  ;  the  heaving  billows 
swelled  more  majestically,  and  their  ripple  shot  forth 
more  silvery  sparkles,  reflecting  her  light ;  the  stars 
shone  with  more  vivid  scintillations  ;  the  blue  heaven 
embraced  all  with  a  more  intense  depth, —  at  least, 
they  all  appeared  to  do  so,  and  to  speak  to  me  with 
a  truer,  a  more  divine  eloquence  of  beauty,  when 
Will  was  with  me. 

"  I  see,  my  dears,  you  wonder  to  hear  me  talk 
thus  of  him  to  you ;  but,  should  you  ever  become 
acquainted  with  such  a  spirit  as  this  man's,  you  will 
not  wonder  at  my  enthusiasm  towards  a  being,  a 
communion  with  whom  doubles  and  trebles  all  human 
enjoyment. " 

Here  Kit,  for  a  few  moments,  seemed  to  be  lost  in 
his  recollections  (a  habit  the  old  mariner  sometimes 
had),  and  then  resumed. 

"  Our  voyage  continued  prosperously,  though  our 
course  was  driven  slightly  northwards,  which  thus 
brought  us  within  the  danger  of  the  terrible  monsters 
Scylla  and  Charybdis,  who  keep  their  deadly  watch 
on  either  side  the  Straits  of  Messina,  to  seize  un- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  229 

happy  mariners  who  too  unskilfully  guide  their  ves- 
sels between  these  perilous  enemies. 

"  Wfc  were  fortunate  enough  to  elude  their  fatal 
snares,  but  it  was  only  by  so  near  a  chance  that  most 
of  us  narrowly  escaped  the  almost  equally  terrible 
lot  of  dying  from  fear.  We  heard  the  dismal  baying 
of  those  fearful  hounds  that  surround  the  person  of 
Scylla ;  we  beheld  the  cruel  six  necks  which  this  fell 
monster  darts  forth  to  seize  her  prey ;  while  on  the 
opposite  side  yawned  the  black  throat  of  Charybdis, 
sucking  in,  with  her  insatiate  draught,  the  dark  boil- 
ing waters,  and  then  disgorging  them  again,  roaring 
and  tumbling,  in  search  for  human  victims  to  whirl 
within  the  dread  abyss. 

"  Scarcely  had  we,  in  awe-struck  silence,  made  our 
way  strictly  between  these  two  fiend-like  monsters, 
and  had  barely  found  time  tremblingly  to  congratu- 
late ourselves  upon  having  safely  cleared  their  relent- 
less rocks  and  whirlpool,  than  we  beheld  a  bevy  of 
fair  forms  floating  round  and  round  our  ship,  making 
•courteous  gestures  to  us,  and  charming  all  the  air 
with  their  fascinating  music.  The  sounds  they 
uttered  were  ravishingly  sweet,  and  were  mingled 
in  so  celestial  a  harmony,  that  I  knew  at  once  these 
potent  musicians  could  be  no  other  than  the  Sirens. 
Their  singing  and  beckoning  courtesy  bewitched 
some  of  our  crew  into  headlong  self-abandonment,  so 
that  the  poor  fellows  cast  themselves  rashly  into 
their  white  arms,  which  lured  them  but  to  destruc- 
tion ;  others,  however,  of  our  company  escaped  their 
wiles,  through  firmer  principle,  or  greater  callousness 
of  nature.  The  diamond  merchant  was  fenced  from 


23X  THE    STRANGE   ADVENTURES    OF 

all  attacks  through  eye  and  ear,  that  came  not  in  the 
idolized  shape  of  proffered  wealth ;  his  cousin,  the 
captain,  was  proof  against  allurements  that  were 
only  a  reflex  of  pleasures  which  he  had  revelled  in 
to  satiety  in  his  former  luxurious  and  prodigal  course 
of  life  ;  and,  as  for  myself,  I  had  learned  too  well 
the  true  nature  of  these  enchanting  Sirens,  from  what 
I  had  gathered  concerning  them  in  my  old  conversa- 
tions with  the  shipmates  of  my  first  voyage,  to  trust 
the  seductive  blandishments  that  now  assailed  my 
senses.  In  gazing  upon  their  beauteous  forms,  I 
steadily  kept  in  view  the  mead  where  I  knew  they 
sat  encircled  by  dead  men's  bones  ;  and  through  the 
entrancing  strains  which  they  sang  I  listened  perse- 
veringly  to  the  groans  of  their  victims,  ruthlessly 
slain,  after  being  enticed  by  their  treacherous  music. 
"  Harassed  by  the  dangers  we  had  passed  through, 
the  poor  remainder  of  our  ship's  company  gave 
themselves  up  to  despondency  and  melancholy  idle- 
ness, spending  much  of  their  time  in  sleep  and  list- 
less apathy,  when  not  absolutely  engaged  in  working 
the  vessel.  One  evening,  while  still  pursuing  our 
course  along  this  romantic  coast,  I  happened  to  be 
almost  alone  on  deck,  the  steersman  occupied  solely 
with  the  management  of  his  helm,  and  the  diamond 
merchant  absorbed  in  his  money-dreams,  when,  on 
casting  my  eyes  towards  the  shore,  I  beheld  a  gigan- 
tic shepherd  figure,  seated  on  a  huge  mass  of  rock, 
piping  in  the  calm  Sicilian  sunshine,  and  gazing 
vacantly  and  sadly  over  the  sea  beyond  the  vine- 
clad  trees  and  the  weedy  shore.  His  notes  were 
melodious,  though  mournful,  and  his  broken  sen- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  231 

tences,  which  were  borne  to  me  across  the  waters, 
came  in  passionate  cadence,  as  of  wasting  tender- 
ness. 

"  '  0,  my  white  love,  my  Galatea  !  why  avoid  me 
for  my  one  rugged  brow  and  single  eye  ?  I  cannot 
cease  to  love  thee  ;  my  head  and  feet  throb  for  very 
wretchedness  !  0  Galatea  !  my  white  love  ! 7 

"  The  sounds  melted  sorrowfully,  as  our  ship  held 
on  her  way,  but  my  heart  long  afterwards  yearned 
towards  that  poor  giant  shepherd  and  his  lonely, 
lamenting  ugliness. 

"  We  landed  at  Alexandria,  and  reached  Cairo 
without  further  adventure,  and  my  acquaintance  the 
diamond  merchant  was  speedily  engaged  in  the  en- 
deavor to  effect  the  most  lucrative  sale  of  his  pre 
cious  stones.  He  expected  to  meet  with  a  Jew 
here,  with  whom  he  hoped  to  make  a  good  bargain  ; 
but  we  had  some  difficulty  in  finding  the  precise  part 
of  the  city  in  which  he  dwelt,  and,  during  the  mer- 
chants search  for  his  abode,  he  used  every  means  in 
his  power  to  detain  me  with  him,  as  a  sort  of  aid  and 
protection. 

"  One  morning  the  merchant  was  pursuing  his 
inquiries  in  a  bazaar,  and,  while  he  was  cross-ques- 
tioning a  Jewish  lad,  whom  he  fancied  could  give 
him  intelligence  of  the  old  Israelite  he  sought,  I 
entertained  myself  with  examining  the  various  rich 
stuffs, —  brocades,  silks,  jewels,  and  other  articles, — 
exposed  here  for  sale.  While  the  merchant  went  on 
talking  (for  the  lad  seemed  to  hold  back  his  informa- 
tion, either  through  caution  or  some  other  motive, 
and  detained  his  questioner  some  time),  I  noticed  a 


232          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

curious  figure,  crouched  beneath  a  sort  of  counter 
just  by,  who  was  employed  in  watching  the  diamond 
merchant  stealthily,  but  intently.  The  figure  was 
nearly  concealed  by  a  heap  of  bright-colored  stuffs 
that  lay  there,  so  that  at  first  I  only  saw  a  pair  of 
black,  beady  eyes,  staring  earnestly  from  among  the 
pile  of  goods  ;  but,  by  degrees,  as  his  eagerness 
Decame  more  and  more  uncontrollable,  two  high 
cheek-bones  appeared,  then  a  face  was  thrust  forth, 
then  two  skinny  hands,  and  at  length  I  could  dis- 
tinguish the  whole  figure  of  a  singularly  hideous 
being,  attired  in  dusky,  time-stained  garments,  with 
a  countenance  as  dingy  as  his  apparel.  Presently, 
catching  my  eye,  and  perceiving  that  it  was  upon 
him,  the  shrivelled,  dusky  figure  suddenly  withdrew 
beneath  the  heap  of  stuffs,  and  remained  motionless. 
I  kept  my  eye  fixed  upon  the  heap,  however,  and, 
quietly  approaching  the  spot  where  it  lay,  I  directed 
a  sharp  kick  right  into  the  centre  of  the  pile  of  stuffs, 
hoping  to  expose  the  stealthy  watcher  to  public  view. 
The  stuffs  fell  asunder,  indeed,  but  no  figure  was 
there  to  be  seen  beneath  them ;  and  so  completely 
had  all  traces  of  a  recently  hidden  person  disappeared, 
that  I  could  almost  have  believed  the  whole  of 
what  had  passed  to  have  been  a  delusion  of  my 
senses. 

11  Finding  that  the  diamond  merchant  had,  by  this 
time,  concluded  his  parley  with  the  Jewish  lad,  I 
joined  him,  and  we  quitted  the.  bazaar  together.  I 
was  just  about  to  mention  the  concealed  figmre  I  had 
remarked,  when  I  recollected  that  it  would  only  serve 
to  alarm  and  agitate  him  needlessly,  as  there  had 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  233 

been  no  harm  done  ;  but  I  determined  within  myself 
that  I  would  redouble  my  own  care,  and  keep  upon 
my  guard  for  him.  He  now  told  me  that  he  had,  at 
last,  discovered  the  man  of  whom  we^were  in  search  ; 
and  that,  as  his  dwelling  was  situated  at  some  dis- 
tance, in  one  of  the  remote  suburbs  of  the  city,  we 
would  repair  thither  at  once.  He  indulged  himself 
in  a  few  golden  visions  as  we  went  along,  descanting 
to  me  at  length  upon  his  hopes  of  disposing  of  the 
casket  advantageously,  and  the  large  sum  he  hoped 
to  realize  by  the  sale.  He  said  not  one  word  of  the 
purchases  he  intended  to  make  with  this  sum,  or  of 
the  new  enjoyments  he  intended  to  obtain  from  them, 
so  that  I  could  hardly  refrain  from  the  thought  that 
he,  in  fact,  did  but  exchange  one  hard  substance  for 
another,  and  that  he  might,  for  all  real  benefit  that 
it  brought  him,  just  as  well  hoard  up  his  diamonds 
as  his  gold  money.  But,  like  most  lovers  of  mere 
wealth,  he  lived  upon  meagre  fancies,  instead  of 
enjoying  solid  advantages,  and  contented  himself 
with  the  power  of  obtaining  good  things,  instead  of 
the  good  things  themselves. 

"  The  old  Jew's  abode  was  in  an  obscure,  filthy 
quarter,  where  squalor  and  wretchedness  dwelt  side 
by  side  with  ignorance  and  vice.  As  we  entered  a. 
miserable  blind  alley,  and  knocked  at  the  low  door- 
way of  the  dirty  decaying  hovel  where  the  Jew  lived, 
I  could  not  but  feel  this  as  another  instance  in  point. 
Here  was  a  man,  who  probably  possessed  large  store 
of  riches,  surrounding  himself  voluntarily  with  all 
the  exteriors  of  poverty, —  darkness,  filth,  rags,  and 
impure  air. 


234          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

"  The  door  was  opened  by  a  bending  old  man, 
with  a  long,  grizzly  beard,  and  astute,  twinkling  eyes. 
He  knew  my  companion  at  once,  and  bade  him  wel- 
come, extending  the  greeting  to  me,  when  the  dia- 
mond merchant  introduced  me  as  his  kind  friend,  and 
a  most  safe  person.  He  led  us  along  a  dusty,  dark 
passage  into  a  dim  room  :  for,  though  there  was  broad 
Egyptian  sunshine  out  of  doors,  there  was  within  the 
Israelite's  house,  if  not  Egyptian  darkness,  at  least 
Egyptian  twilight,  for  all  here  was  so  obscure,  that 
I  could  scarcely  distinguish  any  of  the  objects  as  I 
first  entered.  By  degrees,  however,  my  eyes  became 
accustomed  to  this  partial  light,  and  I  could  perceive 
that  there  was  great  store  of  valuables,  of  many 
kinds,  in  this  miserable  dim  parlor,  half  sitting-room, 
half  warehouse.  The  diamond  merchant  placed  his 
precious  casket  upon  the  table  in  the  centre  of  the 
room  ;  its  contents  were  displayed  and  valued,  and, 
while  he  and  the  Jew  pursued,  in  muttered  whispers, 
their  estimates  and  calculations,  and  transacted  the 
bargain  between  them,  I  had  plenty  of  time  to  pur- 
sue my  own  thoughts,  and  to  examine  the  various 
costly  articles  with  which  the  room  was  thronged. 
Here  lay  a  sword,  with  its  richly-jewelled  handle  and 
its  polished  Damascene  blade,  rhlaid  with  many  an 
elaborate  arabesque,  and  filmy  line  of  gold  and  blue 
steel  ;  there  were  curiously-wrought  pistols,  with 
silver  mountings  and  inlayings  ;  close  to  them  was  a 
fine  set  of  cameos  ;  and  beyond  lay  an  agate-headed 
dagger,  a  bracelet  of  carbuncles,  and  a  girdle  set 
with  sapphires.  Bronze  figures,  marble  groups, 
chased  goblets,  alabaster  vases,  ebony  cabinets, 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  235 

ivory  crucifixes,  gemmed  crescents,  and  beaded  ro- 
saries, were  heaped  around,  in  heterogeneous  pro- 
fusion. 

"  My  eyes  were  chiefly  attracted,  however,  by  a 
painting  of  the  Madonna  arid  child,  which  hung  im- 
mediately opposite  to  me,  and  which  seemed  to  be 
"the  production  of  some  rare  old  master  of  Italy  or 
Spain.  As  I  gazed  upon  the  divine  affection  irradi- 
ating that  tender  maternal  face,  and  the  infantine 
grace  blended  with  grave  intelligence  and  super- 
human thought  in  the  sweet  babe's  countenance,  I 
mused  upon  the  strange  chance  which  had  brought 
that  picture  into  the  house  of  a  Jew,  and  wondered 
whether  any  thought  of  the  subsequent  anguish 
which  was  destined  to  wring  that  maternal  heart 
had  ever  crossed  the  Israelite's  mind,  when  the 
painting  might  chance  to  meet  his  eye.  I  glanced 
towards  the  old  man,  as  I  mused  thus  ;  but  there 
was  no  thought  but  that  of  gain  traced  on  that  fur- 
rowed forehead,  or  in  those  sharp,  calculating  eyes. 
He  led  the  diamond  merchant  towards  a  high  desk, 
in  one  corner  of  the  room,  that  the  necessary  receipt 
might  be  written,  and  the  cash  duly  paid  over,  or 
drafts  given  to  the  amount,  for  the  diamonds,  which 
had  been  carefully  replaced  in  the  casket  on  the 
table. 

"  My  eyes  were  recalled  from  the  Jew  and  the 
merchant  by  a  passing  shadow,  a  something  that 
crossed  the  doorway  of  the  dark  passage  by  which 
we  had  entered.  I  had  barely  time  to  question  my- 
self as  to  what  it  might  be,  and  to  advance  towards 
the  casket  protectively,  —  which  I  did  rather  from  a 


236  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

kind  of  instinct,  than  with  any  direct  purpose  or  ap- 
prehension, —  when,  in  an  instant,  a  dusky  figure 
darted  forward  and  seized  the  precious  casket,  re- 
treating with  it  precipitately  through  the  dark  pas- 
sage. I  instantly  rushed  forward  in  pursuit,  and 
perceived  the  same  dusky  figure  dash  through  the 
outer  doorway,  through  which  I  eagerly  followed 
him,  into  the  blind  alley,  along  several  streets,  and 
out  into  the  open  country.  I  could  now  clearly  see 
that  the  purloiner  of  the  casket  whom  I  was  pursuing 
was  the  very  same  shrivelled,  dusky,  dingy-faced 
being  whom  I  had  discovered  crouching  in  the  bazaar 
that  morning.  He  turned  once,  as  we  reached  the 
banks  of  the  Nile,  and  grinned  a  ghastly  smile  of 
derision  and  malice,  that  made  his  face  look  more 
hideous  than  ever  ;  but  we  soon  crossed  the  river, 
and  passed  the  long  causeways  erected  over  the  flat 
land  against  the  inundations,  and  still  I  kept  up 
with  him,  the  same  distance  as  before.  I  did  not 
gain  upon  him,  it  is  true,  but  I  did  not  lose  ground. 
"  On  we  went,  till  we  reached  the  burning  plain 
of  sand,  where  the  pyramids  raise  their  venerable 
forms  in  simple  grandeur.  Their  gigantic  sides 
glowed  in  the  rich  light  of  the  setting  sun,  which 
clearly  defined  their  colossal  outlines,  and  shed  a 
deep  blood-red  hue  upon  the  extensive  scene  ;  slowly 
the  fierce  glare  faded  into  the  softer  prismatic  tints 
of  yellow,  green,  azure,  and  purple,  and  then  night 
stole  over  the  vast  expanse  around,  while  still  the 
dusky  figure  maae  on  before  me,  and  still  I  steadily 
maintained  my  pursuit.  As  the  gloom  deepened,  I 
perceived  that  a  strange  light,  like  that  of  a  mephitic 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  237 

vapor,  seemed  to  proceed  from  the  head  of  the  mys- 
terious being  before  me  ;  and,  as  the  darkness  still 
increased,  the  light  became  a  lambent  flame,  issuing 
distinctly  from  his  forehead,  resting  there,  and  cast- 
ing a  bright  reflection  upon  his  hideous  countenance, 
as  he  turned  it  several  times  now  towards  me,  as  if 
in  rage  at  my  pertinacious  pursuit.  Each  time  that 
he  turned  it  towards  me,  it  seemed  to  assume  addi- 
tional hideousness,  and  to  become  more  shrivelled, 
more  brown,  and  less  human ;  until,  at  last,  as  we 
rapidly  approached  close  to  the  pyramids,  his  dread- 
ful face  glared  upon  me  in  the  full  undisguised  horror 
of  an  exhumed  mummy !  But  I  was  not  deterred 
from  my  resolve  of  following  him  by  the  frightful 
conviction  that  flashed  upon  me  that  he  was  no  in- 
habitant of  this  earth  ;  should  he  even  lead  me  to  the 
dismal  abode  where  he  and  his  buried  companions  lie 
entombed,  yet  still  I  determined  I  would  not  relin- 
quish my  hope  of  regaining  what  I  considered  as  hav- 
ing been  left  in  my  especial  charge.  I  believed  I  had 
a  duty  to  perform,  which  no  selfish  fear  ought  to  pre- 
vent me  from  endeavoring  to  accomplish,  even  at 
the  risk  of  life  ;  and,  accordingly,  when  I  beheld  the 
mummy  rush  towards  the  entrance  of  one  of  the 
pyramids,  I  boldly  nerved  my  heart,  and  dashed 
impetuously  after  him.  The  lambent  flame  which 
played  on  his  forehead  sufficiently  tracked  his  course, 
and  I  still  pursued  the  still  advancing  dusky  figure. 
Through  long  galleries,  labyrinthine  passages,  exca- 
vations both  narrow  and  steep,  flat  landing-places, 
occasional  square  chambers,  up  rude  steps,  down 
others,  and  along  wider  and  longer  galleries,  I  fol 


238  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

lowed  the  flame  which  indicated  to  me  the  flight  of 
the  spoliator,  and  we  stopped  not  until  we  came  to 
a  portal  of  granite,  which,  after  a  moment's  pause, 
opened,  and  disclosed  a  large  apartment,  in  the  cen- 
tre of  which  stood  a  royal  sarcophagus.  I  followed 
closely  the  dusky  figure,  who  no  sooner  entered  the 
apartment  than  he  knelt  before  the  sarcophagus,  in 
which  lay  a  mummy,  swathed  in  kingly  robes,  and, 
depositing  the  stolen  casket  at  the  feet  of  his  royal 
master,  he  dropped  rigidly  and  mutely  amid  a  range 
of  recumbent  mummies  that  surrounded  the  tomb  of 
their  sovereign.  I  was  springing  forward  to  possess 
myself  of  the  casket,  when  I  was  arrested  by  behold- 
ing the  figure  of  the  royal  mummy  slowly  and  ma- 
jestically arise,  and  then  it  spoke  in  a  deep,  sonorous 
voice,  which  echoed  strangely  through  that  palace  of 
tombs : 

"  '  'T  is  not  for  the  royal  blood  of  Egypt  to  detain 
treasure  unjustly  obtained,  and  justly  reclaimed.  It 
was  the  act  of  a  devoted  though  misguided  slave, 
to  seize  what  might  enrich  the  monument  of  his  mas- 
ter ;  but  that  master  disdains  to  reserve  what  is 
re-demanded  by  courage  and  fidelity.  Take,  then, 
the  casket ;  restore  it  to  its  rightful  owner,  and 
believe  that  Cheops  can  admire  bravery  and  firm 
adherence  to  duty  beyond  all  the  treasures  of  the 
universe.  Be  it  the  task  of  my  slave,  in  punish- 
ment of  his  misdeed,  to  guide  thee,  mortal,  back  to 
the  light  of  day,  and  the  realm  of  existence.  Fare- 
well ! ' 

"  The  royal  mummy  sank  back  in  the  sarcophagus, 
and  resumed  his  sleep  of  ages ;  whilst  the  dusky 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  239 

figure  of  the  mummy-slave  once  more  arose,  arid  dis- 
played the  lambent  flame  to  re-conduct  me  through 
the  pyramid.  That  this  complaisance  was  the  mere 
result  of  obedience  to  the  behest  of  his  royal  master 
I  could  perceive  from  the  scowl  which  distorted  his 
withered  face  as  he  turned  to  precede  my  steps. 
But  I  cared  little  for  his  displeasure  while  secure  of 
his  sovereign's  protection.  As  I  again  threaded  the 
long  galleries  and  granite  passages,  I  recalled  to 
memory  a  legend  of  the  royal  Cheops,  which  I  had 
once  heard  recounted  on  board  the  ship  in  which  I 
first  sailed,  by  a  Mrs.  Jane  Flower,  the  wife  of  a 
great  naturalist,  who  was  going  abroad  on  a  voyage 
of  botanical  discovery.  She  had  told  us  a  strange 
story  of  a  mummy,  which  my  recent  adventure 
brought  into  my  mind  ;  but  while  I  was  pondering 
over  the  circumstance,  the  lambent  flame  stood  still. 
I  found  I  was  close  to  the  door  of  egress,  and,  as  it 
opened,  the  dusky  figure  disappeared  within  the 
recesses  of  the  pyramid,  and  I  saw  him  no  more. 

"Morning  dawned  as  I  emerged  from  the  aged 
edifice,  and  my  spirit  rose  to  meet  the  glorious  free- 
dom of  the  open  air.  I  inhaled  the  gracious  breath 
of  heaven  as  it  was  wafted  gently  beneath  the  group 
of  sycamores  and  palm-trees,  held  sacred  by  the 
Arabs,  which  cast  their  welcome  shade  near  this 
spot.  The  leaves,  in  their  unscathed  beauty  and 
vivid  green  color,  looked  doubly  welcome  amid  this 
sandy  plain,  and  seemed  part  of  the  pleasant  fresh- 
ness of  early  day.  My  senses  were  excited  by  the 
delicious  feeling  of  liberty  and  successful  exertion, 
and  I  could  almost  have  fancied  that  I  heard  that 


240          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

ancient  Theban  head  breathing  its  morning  music 
from  lips  of  stone,  and  that  the  resonant  hymn  was 
wafted  along  the  waters  of  old  Nile  to  the  spot  where 
I  stood  offering  my  own  humble  song  of  prayer  and 
thanksgiving. 

"  I  made  the  best  of  my  way  to  Cairo,  but  it  was 
some  time  past  noon  when  I  arrived  at  the  caravan- 
sera,  where  the  diamond  merchant  and  I  had  taken 
up  our  abode.  I  hoped  to  find  him  in  our  apart- 
ment, but  he  was  absent ;  and  I  learned,  shortly 
after,  that  he  was  busily  engaged  in  seeking  me,  as 
he  believed  that  I  had  absconded  with  his  property. 
I  felt  outraged  at  this  belief  of  his,  as  it  proved  to 
me  that  no  services  could  win  him  from  entertaining 
unworthy  suspicions  even  of  his  closest  associates. 
I  determined,  however,  to  await  his  arrival,  knowing 
that  he  would  most  probably  return  to  sleep  at  the 
caravansera ;  and  then,  after  having  delivered  the 
precious  casket  into  his  hands,  I  would  immediately 
take  my  departure,  and  quit  his  companionship  for- 
ever. 

"  With  the  close  of  evening  the  diamond  merchant 
returned  to  our  lodging,  and  great  was  his  surprise 
to  find  me  seated  there,  quietly  awaiting  his  arrival. 
He  was  about  to  reproach  me  bitterly,  on  seeing  his 
precious  casket  in  my  hands  ;  but  when  I  gave  it  to 
him,  bidding  him  see  that  it  was  safe,  and  its  con- 
tents untouched,  he  stopped  short,  and  stammered 
some  awkward  excuses  and  apologies  for  having 
wronged  me.  I  turned  from  him ;  and  when  he 
would  have  questioned  me  concerning  the  abstrac- 
tion of  the  casket,  and  how  I  had  succeeded  in  recov- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  241 

ering  it  from  the  thief,  I  shortly  bade  him  be  con- 
tented that  he  had  it  safely  once  more  within  his 
own  keeping ;  then,  advising  him  to  treat  his  future 
friends  less  mistrustfully,  I  wished  him  farewell,  and 
quitted  him  abruptly.  I  very  soon  after  left  the 
caravansera  altogether  ;  and  in  the  one  where  I  took 
up  my  lodging  I  met  with  a  sea-captain,  who  was 
about  to  depart  in  a  few  days  for  Venice.  I  agreed 
to  go  with  him,  as  I  had  long  wished  to  visit  that 
beautiful  city  of  the  sea.  I  thought,  too,  that  when 
I  arrived  there  I  would  afterwards  indulge  myself 
with  a  few  wanderings  inland  ;  and,  in  order  to  be 
able  to  do  so,  I  resolved  to  sell  one  of  the  diamonds 
in  the  setting  of  Eudora's  locket,  as  she  had  bid  me 
do  should  I  ever  need  money.  I  bethought  me  of 
the  old  Jew,  and  went  to  his  squalid  house,  that  he 
might  give  me  the  worth  of  the  gem.  He  valued  it  at 
a  sum  equal  to  about  five-and-twenty  pounds,  and  I, 
who  had  not  expected  so  much,  being  quite  ignorant 
of  the  value  of  precious  stones,  almost  regretted  that 
I  had  not  sold  more  of  the  diamonds,  of  which  there 
were  sixteen  in  all,  surrounding  the  crystal  locket. 
However,  I  recollected  that  they  were  in  a  much 
more  portable  shape  in  their  present  form,  and  I  sat 
cogitating  thus,  while  the  Jew  went  to  fetch  me  the 
money.  Presently  I  heard  sobs  and  stifled  weeping 
in  the  inner  apartment,  as  of  some  one  in  deep  dis- 
tress ;  then  I  heard  a  voice  say,  in  passionate  ac- 
cents, 

"  '  Save  him,  Isaac,  save  him  !  you  can  if  you  will. 
Pay  but  the  money  —  a  small  sum  to  you,  with  your 
heaps  of  wealth.     Pay  the  money  for  me,  'and  my 
16 


242          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

boy,  my  beautiful  boy,  may  still  be  saved !  Think 
of  his  young  innocence  sacrificed  —  perhaps  his  life 
hereafter  a  forfeit !  0,  pay  it,  and  save  him  !  Save 
me!7 

"  I  could  hear  the  woman  throw  herself  on  her 
knees  in  an  agony  of  entreaty  ;  then  followed  whis- 
pers of  encouragement,  a  sound  as  of  a  heavy  purse 
of  gold,  wild  tears  and  thanks,  a  quick  retreating 
step,  and  in  a  few  moments  more  the  old  Jew  came 
forth  with  the  five-and-twenty  pounds  for  me,  but 
not  before  I  had  heard  him  mutter :  '  Poor  young 
thing,  she  is  but  a  mere  child  herself,  Heaven  help 
her ! 7  I  saw  the  tears  standing  in  his  old  eyes, 
though  they  soon  resumed  their  habitual  cunning 
expression,  and  look  of  careful  covetousness.  I 
quitted  him  full  of  thought  about  human  inconsist- 
ency, .and  wondering  whether  any  touch  of  the  sym- 
pathy which  had  prompted  his  charitable  succor  to 
the  distressed  mother  had  owed  its  well-spring  to  the 
daily  sight  of  the  divine  Madonna  and  child,  so  rarely 
pictured  in  his  treasure-room. 

"Prosperous  gales  speeded  us  on  our  passage  up 
the  blue  Adriatic,  and  wafted  us  along  the  eastern 
shores  of  beautiful  Italy,  when,  one  lovely  day,  some 
time  after  I  had  bid  adieu  to  Egypt,  I  found  myself 
in  sight  of  Venice,  with  her  streets  of  water,  her 
magnificent  churches,  her*  'decayed  glories,  her  ever- 
living  associations,  and  immortal  beauty. 

"But  you  will  be  expected  home  by  this  time,  I 
dare  say/'  said  the  old  mariner,  interrupting  him- 
self; "so  off  with  you,  Dick,  my  hero  !  Good-night 
to  you,  and  my  dear  lass,  Fanny  !  " 


KIT   BAM,    MARINER.  243 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE  PIGEONS  OF  ST.  MARK. THE  PHANTOM  GONDOLA,  AND  THE 

DOOMED  MAN. BARBARA. THE  HARZ  FOREST. THE  BROCKEN 

MOUNTAIN. KARL.  —  LEOPOLD. 

"  WELL,  now,  Kit,  tell  us  what  you  did  first,  when 
you  got  to  Venice/7  said  the  young  Swallows,  on 
the  following  evening. 

"  Why,  the  very  first  thing  I  did  was  to  hire  a 
boat,  that  I  might  row  myself  about  wherever  I 
wished  in  this  wonderful  city,  where  the  streets  are 
all  water,'7  said  Kit ;  "  for  I  was  determined  to  give 
myself  a  holiday  for  a  time,  and  see  all  that  was  to 
be  seen.  So  I  paddled  my  gondola  about  nearly  all 
day  long,  soon  getting  -practised  in  the  use  of  the 
one  oar  that  is  used  there,  and  becoming  speedily 
accustomed  to  the  narrow  confined  alleys  of  water 
between  the  houses,  and  the  sharp  corners  round 
which  I  had  to  turn,  uttering  at  the  same  time  the 
low  warning  cry  which  I  heard  used  by  the  gondo- 
liers to  prevent  collision. 

"  In  these  luxurious  wanderings  I  saw  many  beau- 
tiful churches,  adorned  with  all  the  richest  splendor 
of  art ;  I  beheld  the  picturesque  old  palaces  of  the 
ancient  nobles,  with  their  marble  steps  leading  from 
the  stately  portal  into  the  very  water ;  the  busy, 
close-thronged  bridge  of  the  Rialto,  ringing  with 
many  voices  of  eager  buyers  and  sellers ;  the  gay 


244  THE   STRANGE   ADVENTURES   OF 

and  ever-shifting  scene  of  the  grand  canal ;  the  silent, 
shut-in,  smaller  ones,  and  the  lonely  waters  of  the 
lagunes. 

"  I  beheld  Venice  under  all  her  beauteous  aspects  ; 
brilliant,  sparkling,  and  animated,  amid  sunshine 
and  daylight ;  calm,  silent,  and  impressive,  beneath 
the  placid  beams  of  the  moon,  as  I  rowed  far  out 
upon  the  still  waters,  and  contemplated  the  fair  city 
by  night. 

"  One  sultry  day  I  sought  relief  from  the  glare  of 
the  noontide  waters,  and  lounged  on  the  shady  side 
of  the  Piazza  of  St.  Mark,  indulging  myself  with  that 
necessary  Italian  luxury,  an  ice.  I  sat  long  idling 
on  a  wooden  bench,  belonging  to  one  of  the  coffee- 
houses there,  letting  the  cool  fruity  delicacy  glide 
pleasantly  over  my  palate,  while  I  admired  the  bar- 
baric magnificence  of  the  showy  cathedral ;  and  now 
and  then  amused  myself  with  breaking  off  small 
morsels  of  thefocactia,  or  small  bun,  which  is  served 
with  the  ice,  and  throwing-them  to  the  pigeons,  who 
flock  in  great  numbers  on  that  spot,  and  are  regarded 
with  veneration  and  traditional  respect  by  the  Vene- 
tians. These  birds  are  carefully  fed  daily,  at  two 
o'clock  precisely ;'  and,  at  the  very  first  stroke  of 
the  hour,  as  it  peals  from  the  neighboring  bell-tower, 
these  sagacious  little  creatures  congregate  and  pre- 
sent themselves  at  the  various  windows  of  the  sur- 
rounding houses,  whence  their  quotidian  meal  is 
scattered  to  them. 

"I  was  engaged  watching  the  various  groups  of 
these  eager  little  birds,  with  their  blue  and  mottled 
plumage,  and  their  pattering  red  feet  trotting  im« 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  245 

portantly  hither  and  thither  as  they  bustled  now 
here,  now  there,  to  pick  up  some  particularly  attract- 
ive grain,  as  the  major  part  of  the  corn  became  swept 
from  the  window-sills  to  the  pavement  beneath,  when 
rny  attention  was  attracted  by  seeing1  a  single  pigeon 
still  clinging  pertinaciously  before  one  of  the  higher 
windows,  at  which  he  pecked  and  fluttered,  as  if 
desiring  to  be  let  in.  Presently  I  saw  the  window 
opened  by  a  young  girl,  who  took  the  pigeon  to  her 
bosom  and  caressed  it.  As  well  as  I  could  judge, 
from  the  height  at  which  I  saw  her  face,  it  appeared 
to  me  to  be  very  pretty.  She  fed  the  tame  little  creat- 
ure from  her  hand,  stroked  its  glossy  feathers,  kissed 
its  sudden-darting  head,  and  played  a  thousand  little 
fondling  tricks  with  it ;  at  last  making  it  take  a 
piece  of  the  grain  from  between  her  own  rosy  lips. 
The  bird  seemed  well  pleased  to  be  so  caressed,  for, 
with  the  exception  of  the  quick  restless  motion  of 
its  neck  and  head,  it  remained  quite  still  within  her 
hands,  as  she  pressed  it  against  her  bosom. 

11 1  sat  watching  this  pretty  picture  of  the  girl  and 
the  bird  for  some  time,  till  I  saw  the  former  give  a 
slight  wave  of  her  hand,  when  the  pigeon  imme- 
diately darted  away,  and  flew  straight  from  the  win- 
dow across  the  opposite  houses  of  the  square.  The 
girl  watched  it  for  a  moment  eagerly  ;  then,  drawing 
down  the  window,  I  could  see  her  no  longer.  Several 
days  following  I  watched  at  the  same  hour  and  the 
same  place,  and  each  day  I  saw  the  same  fondling 
pass  between  the  girl  and  the  bird,  —  she  watching 
its  departure,  as  if  it  were  a  messenger  between  her 
and  some  absent  friend.  But  I  saw  no  billet  at- 


246  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

tached  beneath  its  wing,  no  evidence  of  its  bearing 
any  communication  from  its  pretty  mistress — it  was 
only  from  her  manner  that  I  could  guess  the  pigeon 
was  the  bearer  of  interesting  intelligence. 

"  One  night  I  was  straying  late  among  the  noisy 
crowd  that  congregates  every  evening  on  the  Piazza 
of  St.  Mark,  making  that  only  space  of  land  in  the 
watery  city  look  like  a  vast  glaring  ball-room,  with  a 
starry  sky  overhead  instead  of  a  gilded  ceiling.  I 
felt  as  if  so  much  noise  and  glare  were  an  annoyance 
rather  than  an  exhilaration  to  me,  and  the  scene 
misplaced  among  so  much  beauty ;  so,  quitting  the 
gay  throng  of  revellers,  who  were  streaming  to  and 
fro,  listening  to  the  various  bands  that  were  playing 
all  at  once,  amid  the  din  of  ice-glasses,  coffee-cups, 
chattering  women,  bustling  waiters,  sweetmeat-sel- 
lers crying  .their  wares,  loud  men,  laughing,  singing, 
bantering,  jesting,  and  talking  opera,  I  betook  my- 
self to  my  boat  that  was  lying  off  the  quay  of  the 
Piazzetta,  and  I  rowed  far  away  upon  the  silent 
waters  that  lay  in  silvery  placidity  beneath  the  moon 
and  her  attendant  stars,  which  shone  out  in  all  the 
refulgent  beauty  of  an  Italian  night. 

"  Here  I  rowed  for  some  hours,  forgetting  sleep  in 
the  calm  enjoyment  of  this  quiet  solitude,  until  at 
length  I  felt  a  slight  chjll  from  the  midnight  breeze, 
which  reminded  me  to  return  to  the  city  and  seek 
warmer  repose. 

"  Just  as  this  shudder  crept  over  me,-  and  I  was 
preparing  to  obey  its  dictates  by  rowing  back  to 
Venice,  I  perceived  at  a  little  distance  from  me,  upon 
the  water,  a  small  gondola,  with  its  usual  hearse-like 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  247 

black  awning,  gliding  along  slowly,  though  without 
a  rower. 

"  That  there  was  some  person  in  the  boat,  how- 
ever, I  could  not  doubt,  for  a  sound  issued  from  the 
mournful  awning  as  of  one  sitting  beneath  in  bitter 
anguish.  Sobs  and  deep  groans,  as  if  wrested  from 
the  unwilling  chest  of  manly  sorrow,  that  ever  seeks 
to  forbid  itself  such  feminine  relief,  burst  forth  in 
frightful  vehemence,  and  reached  my  ear  with  a  force 
that  terrified  me.  I  felt  as  though  all  human  conso- 
lation must  be  unavailing  to  such  profound  grief  and 
despair ;  and  while  I  paused,  awe-struck,  I  beheld  a 
man  spring  out  of  the  gondola,  and  cast  himself  head- 
long into  the  lagune.  Reproaching  myself  for  my 
hesitation,  I  prepared  to  row  to  his  assistance  ;  but, 
on  casting  my  eyes  once  more  in  the  direction  where 
I  had  beheld  him  throw  himself  out  of  the  boat,  the 
gondola  itself  had  disappeared,  and  no  trace  of  man 
or  bark  was  to  be  seen.  All  had  vanished,  like 
breath  from  a  polished  mirror,  and  I  was  entirely 
alone  upon  the  broad  lagune. 

"'I  felt  my  heart  pause,  and  my  breathing  sus- 
pended, as  I  rowed  towards  land,  and  it  was  not 
until  the  return  of  next  morning's  sun,  with  the 
cheerful  influences  and  reviving  thoughts  of  awak- 
ened day,  that  I  could  rally  from  the  impression  that 
had  been  left  upon  me  by  the  mysterious  vision  of 
the  past  night. 

"  I  did  not  feel  tempted  to  go  upon  the  water  that 
day  :  I  strolled  among  the  arcades  of  the  Piazza :  I 
examined  the  shops  and  looked  at  the  new  prints  ;  I 
saw  the  two  bronze  figures  on  the  summit  of  the 


248          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

curious,  blue  and  gold  clock  that  bears  the  signs  of 
the  zodiac  hammer  each  passing  hour  on  their  huge 
bell,  and  twice  beheld  the  mimic  procession  of  the 
three  kings,  preceded  by  a  trumpeter  dazzling  in 
gold  and  red,  who  issue  from  a  portion  of  this  same 
wonderful  clock  every  third  hour,  and  pay  their 
homage  to  the  infant  Saviour  and  his  mother,  who 
sit  there  in  effigy  ;  I  watched  the  flocking  pigeons, 
as  they  varied  their  picking  and  feeding  with  wheel- 
ing flights  and  aerial  soarings  ;  I  saw  them  come 
punctually  to  their  daily  repast  as  the  clock  struck ; 
I  saw  the  pretty  maiden  fondle  her  favorite  bird  from 
the  high  window,  and  speed  him  away  on  his  errand, 
if  errand  it  really  were  ;  and,  in  short,  I  exhausted 
all  the  few  land  resources  that  Venice  possesses  to  a 
wanderer  like  myself.  When  night  came,  however, 
I  could  refrain  no  longer  from  the  smooth  water,  the 
gliding  boat,  and  the  fresh  cool  air.  But  I  did  not 
row  towards  the  lagune.  I  could  not  do  that ;  so  I 
guided  myself  to  and  fro  through  the  narrow  canals, 
musing  upon  the  pride  and  magnificence  of  the  old 
Venetian  nobles,  their  lordly  sway,  their  merchant 
power,  their  maritime  dominion,  their  patrician 
tyranny,  their  cruel  policy,  as  I  glided  beneath  the 
decaying  walls  of  their  ancient  palaces,  that  spoke 
eloquent  truths  of  departed  grandeur,  and  self-evi- 
dent reasons  for  instability  and  downfall, 

"  As  I  silently  passed  beneath  the  Bridge  of  Sighs, 
I  looked  up  between  the  frowning  walls  of  contigu- 
ous palace  and  prison,  where  so  much  wrong  and 
suffering  had  been  inflicted  and  endured ;  I  looked 
up  towards  the  sky,  intensely  blue  and  gemmed  with 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  249 

stars,  and  felt  how  hopefully  a  better  future  arose 
for  Italy  over  the  blind  arid  arrogant  misrule  of  her 
past  ages.  At  that  moment  I  was  struck  by  the 
same  sounds  of  woe  and  anguish  that  had  reached 
my  ear  on  the  previous  night  amid  the  wide  waters 
of  the  lagune  ;  and  close  beside  the  low  murky  portal 
whence  the  bodies  of  strangled  prisoners  were  wont 
to  be  carried  forth,  at  dead  of  night,  in  the  old  by- 
gone times,  I  beheld  the  black  gondola,  with  its 
solitary  inmate  uttering  his  heart-rending  lamenta- 
tion. 

"  I  would  have  approached  ;  but  the  boat  suddenly 
shot  past  me,  and  glided  swiftly  away  in  the  dis- 
tance. Its  motion  was  so  abrupt,  as  it  darted  close 
to  my  gondola,  that  I  felt  sure  it  must  be  shivered 
in  the  collision ;  but,  as  the  swart  bark  rushed  by,  I 
was  sensible  of  no  greater  shock  than  if  a  raven7 s 
wing  had  swept  the  side. 

"  I  was  greatly  appalled  by  this  mysterious  gon- 
dola, and  would  have  given  much  to  penetrate  its 
dark  secrets,  as  well  as  to  learn  the  cause  of  its  in- 
mate's anguish,  and,  if  possible,  to  assuage  his 
throes  ;  but  how  to  effect  this  ?  how  to  seek  com- 
munion with  a  being  who  eluded  all  observation,  and 
who  baffled  all  conjecture  as  to  his  identity  ? 

"  I  felt  haunted  by  the  vision  of  this  unhappy  suf- 
ferer, and  could  not  prevent  my  thoughts  from  hov- 
ering uneasily  round  the  subject,  though  conscious 
that  I  could  do  little  by  harassing  myself  with  sur- 
mises and  fruitless  anxiety. 

"  On  the  following  day  I  threw  myself  into  the 
society  of  the  gondoliers  and  seafaring  men  who 


250          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

usually  congregate  on  the  quay  of  the  Piazzetta,  be- 
neath the  granite  pillar  which  supports  the  winged 
lion  of  St.  Mark  ;  for  I  felt  that  company  and  cheer- 
ful intercourse  with  my  fellow-man  would  do  more 
than  anything  to  dispel  the  haunting  solicitude  and 
unwholesome  dwelling  upon  one  painful  subject, 
which  was  fast  taking  possession  of  me,  and  might 
produce  the  ill  effects  of  a  diseased  imagination. 

"I  found  these  gondoliers  a  good-humored,  pleas- 
ant set  of  fellows,  with  that  frank  cordiality  of  man- 
ner that  distinguishes  the  poorer  classes  among 
Italians.  They  laughed  and  chatted,  and  freely  ad- 
mitted me  to  their  conversation,  helping  me  out  with 
my  bad  Italian,  and  making  light  of  the  mistakes  I 
made  with  a  genial  courtesy  which,  I  fear,  is  far 
rarer  among  us  English,  when  foreigners  speak  our 
language  badly.  They  were  all,  just  then,  bantering 
one  of  their  companions,  a  handsome  young  gondo- 
lier, named  Antonio,  about  his  being  in  love. '  They 
said  they  were  sure  he  was,  because  he  sighed  often, 
was  sometimes  lost  in  thought,  and  tied  on  his  neck- 
handkerchief  with  a  smart  air.  And  yet,  they  said, 
the  fellow  was  so  sly,  and  kept  his  secret  so  care- 
fully, that  no  one  had  ever  seen  his  sweetheart. 

"'Is  it  •  Bianca,  the  pretty  water-carrier?  or 
Cecchina,  the  grape-seller  ?  or  Maria  ?  or  Nina  ?  or 
»vho  ?  '  —  they  insisted  on  his  naming  her. 

'  But  Antonio  only  shook  his  head,  and  smilingly 
said: 

"  '  None  of  them  all  ;  I  love  none  but  this  bird/ 
he  added,  as  one  of  the  pigeons  of  St.  Mark  flew 
down  and  settled  upon  his  shoulder.  His  compan- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  251 

ions  laughed  loud  and  long,  as  he  caressed  and 
fondled  the  bird,  joining  in  their  laugh  good-hurnor- 
edly  ;  while  I  could  not  help  fancying  I  had  found 
the  solution  of  the  enigma  which  had  puzzled  me 
about  the  girl  and  the  bird,  and  that  I  had  now  dis- 
covered the  object  of  the  love-messages  despatched 
by  means  of  the  pigeon. 

"  Not  long  after  this,  1  found  an  opportunity  of 
questioning  Antonio  as  to  the  truth  of  my  suspicions, 
and  he  owned  that  they  were  correct. 

"  The  young  girl  was  the  daughter  of  a  rich 
tradesman,  who  kept  a  jeweller's  shop  beneath  one 
of  the  arcades  of  the  Piazza  St.  Mark ;  the  father  of 
the  maiden  had  forbidden  the  union  of  the  lovers, 
until  Antonio  should  have  earned  a  certain  sum,  and 
proved  himself  worthy  of  his  mistress  by  constancy 
during  a  probationary  term  of  separation  ;  they  had 
hit  upon  this  expedient  for  lessening  the  pains  of 
absence,  and  his  mistress  had  taught  the  bird  to  fly 
to  and  fro  between  them,  carrying  the  bliss  of  com- 
munion on  its  downy  pinions. 

"'In  caressing  its  pretty  plumage/  Antonio 
simply  said,  in  conclusion,  '  I  have  the  pleasure  of 
passing  my  hand  over  the  feathers  that  have  so 
lately  been  pressed  and  smoothed  by  her  gentle 
touch.7 

"  I  was  interested  and  pleased  with  this  slight  his- 
tory of  the  two  lovers, —  these  two  human  pigeons 
of  St.  Mark, —  and  felt  that  it  was  quite  in  keeping 
with  the  romantic,  graceful  nature  of  the  Italians, 
who  possess  an  innate  elevation  and  love  of  the 
beautiful,  which  formerly  sprang  to  life  through  the 


252  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

creative  genius  of  their  great  artists, —  both  mu- 
sicians and  painters. 

"  In  the  evening,  as  I  did  not  feel  disposed  to  get 
into  my  gondola,  I  withdrew  from  the  noisy  crowded 
Piazza,  and  wandered  along  the  outer  galleries  of  the 
ducal  palace,  hanging  from  its  stone  balconies  over 
towards  the  water,  and  inhaling  the  fresh  sea-breeze 
that  came  wafted  across  from  beyond  the  Lido. 
Nightfall  came  on,  yet  still  I  lingered  ;  I  loitered  in 
the  quadrangularTcourt-yard  of  stone,  that  forms  the 
centre  of  the  building.  I  looked  into  the  two  wells 
that  are  here,  whence  the  female  water-carriers,  with 
their  bare  feet  and  singular  costume,  are  exclusively 
privileged  to  draw  the  water.  I  gazed  upon  the 
colossal  figures  standing  in  warlike  dignity  on  the 
landing-place  of  the  Giants'  Staircase,  where  I  be- 
held in  fancy  the  disgraced  doge,  Marino  Faliero, 
descend  with  steps  that  trembled  from  age  alone, 
and,  baring  his  head  of  the  ducal  cap,  submit  to  his 
doom  of  decapitation.  I  saw  the  gray-haired  head 
roll  down  those  pitiless  stone  steps,  amid  the  equally 
pitiless  and  stony  Council  of  Ten,  who  stood  around 
to  see  their  behest  executed. 

11  Suddenly  I  heard  the  anguished  accents  of  the 
unhappy  being  I  had  twice  before  met  during  the 
night,  and,  raising  my  eyes,  I  beheld  him  seated  on 
the  uppermost  steps  of  the  Giants7  Staircase,  with 
his  face  buried  in  his  hands,  and  his  body  bent  for- 
ward upon  his  knees.  Again  those  piteous  sobs  and 
deep  groans  thrilled  rne  with  pity  and  terror  ;  softly 
I  approached  the  staircase,  and  began  to  ascend 
towards  the  sufferer  ;  but,  when  I  reached  the  land- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  253 

ing-place,  half  way  up,  he  raised  his  head,  and, 
waving  to  me  mournfully,  he  bade  me  remain  there, 
and  come  no  nearer  on  peril  of  my  life. 

"  '  I  know  the  motive  which  leads  you  to  me  ;  but 
all  aid,  all  comfort,  is  of  no  avail/  said  he,  in  deep, 
unearthly  tones  ;  '  I  am  beyond  all  human  succor,  as 
I  am  beyond  a  higher  mercy.  Consolation  is  not  for 
grief  like  mine  ;  and  crimes  such  as  I  have  com- 
mitted deserve  retribution,  not  forgiveness.  Con- 
demned as  I  am  by  Heaven's  justice,  I  submit,  though 
I  deplore,  too  fortunate  if  submission  and  humility 
may  in  time  win  a  mitigation  of  my  doom.  What 
this  fearful  doom  is  you  now  shall  know  ;  for  thrice 
have  you  crossed  my  path,  thrice  in  your  heart  have 
offered  sympathy, —  and  generous  sympathy  is  too 
precious  to  be  thrice  offered  in  vain.  Yours  has  won 
this  much  ;  I  am  permitted  to  tell  you  my  fearful 
story,  and  inform  you  what  is  the  punishment 
awarded  to  my  guilt.' 

"  I  trembled  with  awe  ;  the  doomed  man  resumed  : 
"  '  In  the  time  when  Venice  had  her  doge  and  her 
Council  of  Ten  ;  when  the  state  prisons  were  thronged, 
and  the  midnight  death-dealing  permitted  ;  when  the 
patricians  were  all  powerful,  and  no  man  was  safe 
from  the  secret  denunciation  of  his  neighbor ;  at 
that  time,  in  short,  when  the  dread  Lion's  Mouth 
played  its  awful  part  in  state  policy,  and  none  knew 
who  next  might  be  its  victim,  I  dwelt,  a  living 
Venetian,  and  moved  here  in  the  flesh,  as  I  now  do 
in  the  spirit,  among  my  fellow-citizens.  I  was  poor, 
for  I  was  improvident ;  I  was  base  and  selfish,  for  I 
pursued  the  dictates  of  my  animal  nature,  at  the 


254  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

sacrifice  of  all  that  was  good  and  noble.  To  indulge 
my  propensity  for  idle  dissipation,  I  at  first  reck- 
lessly squandered  the  small  means  I  carried  with  me 
from  the  paternal  roof,  which  I  quitted  in  disgust  at 
its  restraint  and  virtuous  parsimony  ;  and,  when  that 
little  was  gone,  I  resorted  to  vice  to  supply  me  with 
fresh  indulgence.  In  fraudulent  play,  in  treacherous 
theft,  I  was  an  adept ;  and  not  unf  frequently  has  this 
hand  been  hired  to  plunge  the  assassin7 s  poniard, 
and  deal  the  deputed  death-blow  that  was  to  feed  my 
employer's  revenge.  A  fruitful  source  of  revenue, 
too,  was  found  in  stealthily  dropping  the  secret  de- 
nunciations of  some  timid  but  rich  patron  into  the 
fateful  Lion's  Mouth,  which  conveyed  the  alleged 
offence  to  the  knowledge  of  the  state. 

"  '  One  terrible  day  I  had  deposited  one  of  these 
accusing  papers  within  the  stone  jaws,  and  was 
revelling  in  the  purchase-money  of  my  treachery, 
when  I  suddenly  learned  (by  singular  means,  and 
doubtless  through  the  interposition  of  wrathful 
Providence,  who  willed  that  such  crime  should  meet 
its  awful  chastisement)  that  the  victim  of  my  im- 
peachment was  no  other  than  my  own  young  brother 
Lorenzo  !  Virtuous  and  brave,  he  had  already  won 
honorable  fame  in  serving  the  wars  of  his  country, 
and  had  lately  returned,  flushed  with  success,  to 
claim  the  gentle  bride  that  awaited  him.  But  his 
betrothed  had  been  seen,  and  marked  as  his  prey,  by 
one  of  our  powe'rful  patricians,  who  hit  upon  the  ex- 
pedient of  a  state  arrest  to  rid  himself  of  a  trouble- 
some rival.  He  had  availed  himself  of  my  hireling 
hand  to  drop  the  arraigning  paper  which  was  to  con- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  255 

demn  a  brother  !  I  heard  the  whole  terrible  truth, — 
my  own  innocent  brother  was  to  fall  by  the  hands  of 
the  midnight  executioner  ;  his  strangled  corpse  would 
be  conveyed  in  a  sack  from  the  dungeon,  and  cast 
away  to  rot  in  slime  and  weeds  beneath  the  dark 
waters,  while  his  still  more  wretched  bride  was  flung 
hopelessly  into  the  grasp  of  her  destro}fer. 

"  '  So  much  accumulated  horror,  the  work  of  my 
own  guilt,  struck  deep  to  the  heart  of  even  so  very 
a  miscreant  as  myself,  and,  mad  with  remorse,  I 
rushed  forth  to  gain  oblivion  and  death  amid  the 
wide  waters  of  the  lagurie.  But  not  thus  was  the 
retribution  due  to  my  iniquity  destined  to  cease. 
Avenging  justice  condemned  me  to  a  more  enduring 
punishment.  Each  revolving  year,  as  the  season 
renews  the  anniversary  when  my  crimes  reached 
their  fatal  climax,  and  wrought  the  sacrifice  of  two 
innocent  victims,  together  with  my  own  suicide,  I 
am  doomed  to  reenact,  for  three  successive  nights, 
the  frightful  part  I  played  in  life,  haunting  the  scenes 
of  my  former  villany,  and  washing  with  repentant 
tears  the  traces  of  my  past  guilt.  Here,  on  this 
spot,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Lion's  Mouth,  so 
long  fanged  by  human  venom,  am  I  condemned  to 
endure  hours  of  torture  in  listening  to  the  accusing 
murmurs  that  issue  thence  to  appall  and  overwhelm 
me  with  echoes  of  my  victims'  sufferings,  their 
groans,  their  cries,  and  their  appeals  for  vengeance. 
There,  beneath  the  Bridge  of  Sighs,  close  beside  that 
dismal  archway,  that  disgorged  its  still  warm  corpse 
fresh  from  the  strangling  hands  of  the  midnight  ex- 
ecutioner,—  there,  where  my  innocent  brother  had 


256  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

his  brave  young  spirit  abruptly  quenched,  and  his 
still  quivering  limbs  were  thrust  forth,  shrouded  only 
by  a  sack,  to  be  plunged  ruthlessly  into  an  unmarked, 
watery  grave, —  there,  in  that  foul  lurking-place, 
must  I  linger,  and  annually  recall  the  whole  revolt- 
ing circumstances  of  the  cruel  tragedy.  And,  yet 
more,  at  the  still  hour  of  new-born  day,  amid  the 
lonely  waste  of  waters  of  the  wide  lagune,  it  is  my 
destiny  again  to  madden  fiercely  with  the  sense  of 
sharp  remorse,  to  writhe  beneath  its  unavailing 
pangs,  and,  stung  by  despair,  once  more  to  plunge 
into  the  eternal  unrest  of  suicide/ 

"  The  unhappy  being  wrung  his  hands  wildly,  and 
arose  from  his  seat,  as  if  summoned  by  some  super- 
human power  ;  then,  gliding  along  the  stone  gallery, 
he  disappeared  at  the  angle  of  the  building ;  and, 
though  I  could  not  help  following  quickly,  yet,  when 
I  reached  the  outer  balcony  that  leads  from  the  gal- 
lery along  which  he  had  passed,  I  could  see  no  traces 
of  the  spectre,  excepting  that,  out  upon  the  waters 
of  the  lagune,  beyond  the  quay,  I  could  distinguish 
amid  the  silver  ripples  of  the  reflected  moonbeams  a 
solitary  gondola,  pursuing  its  phantom  course  unim- 
pelled,  unsteered,  while  a  mournful  sound  of  lament- 
ation lingered  faintly  in  its  dark  wake. 

"  Next  day  I  bade  adieu  to  Venice,  queen  of 
earthly  cities,  lovelier  in  her  decay  than  they  in 
their  flourishing  prosperity,  and  wandered  forth  on 
my  proposed  land  pilgrimage.  I  lingered  in  quiet, 
picturesque  Verona  ;  indulged  myself  with  a  day's 
rest  in  charming  terrace-built  Bergamo  ;  loitered  by 
the  exquisite  shores  of  Lakes  Lecco  and  Como  ;  and 


KIT   BAM,    MARINER.  257 

spent  some  brilliant  moonlight  hours  in  the  romantic 
old  town  of  Chiavenna  among  the  mountains.  But 
how  may  I  find  words  to  express  my  emotions  on 
finding  myself  at  sunrise  among  the  lofty  peaks  of 
the  Alps  !  How  was  my  heart  thrilled  with  awe- 
stricken  admiration,  and  my  soul  elevated  towards 
the  great  Creator,  as  I  made  my  way  through  the 
natural  aisles  and  transepts  of  this,  his  loftiest 
earthly  temple  I  To  how  infinitely  small  a  point  did 
they  cause  all  human  temples  to  shrink  in  the  com- 
parison !  Man  has  erected  the  noble  cathedral  of 
Milan,  resplendent  with  every  conceivable  decoration 
of  art,  and  profuse  in  every  effort  of  mortal  ingenuity  ; 
but  what  is  even  that  superb  edifice,  raised  in  its 
marble  brilliancy  against  the  blue  sky,  compared 
with  the  eternal  majesty  of  the  snow-clad  glaciers, 
rearing  their  sublime  heights  amid  the  solitude  of 
nature,  towards  the  azure  presence  of  God  himself? 
It  was  on  the  summit  of  the  lofty  Splugen  that  I  felt 
my  spirit  dilate  in  aspirations  such  as  no  temple 
built  by  merely  human  hands  had  ever  created  within 
me  ;  and  I  pursued  my  path  through  the  stupendous 
passes  and  gigantic  ravines  of  the  Via  Mala,  in 
adoration  and  heartfelt  devotion  towards  the  benefi- 
cent Father  who  conducts  the  humblest  of  his  creat- 
ures above  the  roaring  torrent  and  beneath  the 
thundering  avalanche  in  safety  and  trusting  grati- 
tude. 

"  I  wandered  through  a  great  part  of  Switzerland 
and  Germany,  avoiding,  as  much  as  possible,  popu- 
lous cities  and  the  more  beaten  tracks  of  travellers, 
for   scenes   more    congenial  with  my  romantic  and 
17 


258          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

adventurous  disposition,  so  that  I  am  able  to  tell  yon 
little  concerning  the  more  prominent  features  of  the 
countries  I  passed  through  on  my  continental  pil- 
grimage. One  evening,  I  found  myself  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  Brocken  Mountain,  that  lies  on  the  borders 
of  the  Harz  Forest,  and  among  the  mines  that  there 
yield  their  abundant  treasure  of  ore.  I  had  been 
walking  far  that  day,  and  had  begun  to  feel  very 
weary,  when,  just  as  I  was  thinking  of  asking  a  meal 
and  a  night's  shelter  at  the  next  miner7 s  hut  I  should 
come  to,  I  heard  a  voice  singing  so  softly  and 
sweetly,  that  I  involuntarily  checked  my  steps,  that 
I  might  not  interrupt  so  gentle  a  strain.  From  the 
spot  where  I  stood  I  could  catch  a  glimpse  of  the 
singer,  and  I  remained  perfectly  still  to  look  at  her 
and  listen.  She  was  a  young  girl,  of  about  sixteen 
or  seventeen  years  of  age,  and  was  seated  at  the 
door  of  a  rude  cottage,  where  she  plied  her  knitting- 
needles,  that  sparkled  and  glittered  in  the  rays  of 
the  setting  sun,  and  twinkled  beneath  her  active 
fingers.  On  her  calm  features  and  soft  blue  eyes 
there  sat  a  modest  expression  of  humility  and  sweet- 
ness that  was  touchingly  beautiful ;  and,  as  she  now 
and  then  raised  the  drooping  lids,  and  cast  her  eyes 
upwards  in  the  supplication  of  her  song,  which  was 
a  vesper  hymn  to  the  Virgin,  there  was  a  fervor  of 
ecstasy  and  a  beaming  rapture  on  her  countenance, 
that  irradiated  her  with  a  saint-like,  holy  look,  that 
made  me  feel  as  if  I  gazed  upon  a  beatific  vision. 

"  Her  devout  melody  ceased  ;  yet  still  I  gazed, 
remaining  apart,  as  if  my  human  presence  were  an 
intrusion  ;  but  the  last  faint  echoes  of  her  tones  died 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  259 

away,  and  I  heard  the  slight  clicking  sound  of  her 
busy  needles,  which  recalled  me  to  earth-born 
thoughts.  I  approached,  quietly  and  reverentially 
raising  my  hat  as  I  passed  on,  thinking  merely  to 
allow  myself  a  nearer  glance  at  her  fair  countenance  ; 
but  she  arose,  and  dropped  me  a  little  curtsey,  with 
so  artless  a  simplicity,  and  a  look  of  candor  and 
kindness  so  winning  in  its  frank,  unembarrassed  cor- 
diality, that  I  found  courage  to  crave  a  draught  of 
water. 

11  She  fetched  me  some,  with  the  alacrity  of  youth 
and  goodness,  and,  as  she  gave  it  to  me,  said  she 
wished  it  had  been  gose*  for  my  sake. 

"  '  But  we  are  too  poor  to  afford  ourselves  beer/ 
she  added,  with  a  smile  ;  and,  by  the  Blessed  Virgin's 
help,  water  refreshes  the  parched  throat  even  better, 
I  think.7 

"  I  thanked  her  for  her  kind  words  still  more  than 
for  her  refreshment,  and  entreated  her  to  indulge  me 
with  yet  another  draught,  that  I  might  enjoy  the 
pleasure  of  staying  the  longer  near  her  gentle  face 
and  sweet  voice.  At  length  I  withdrew,  thinking  of 
her  beauty,  and  wondering  that  I  had  not  ventured 
to  beg  hospitality  at  her  cottage,  instead  of  wending 
further  on  that  night  in  search  of  a  night's  lodging. 
But,  I  know  not  how  it  was,  she  inspired  me  with 
more  respect  even  than  admiration,  and  I  felt  as  if  I 
could  as  soon  have  asked  the  Queen  of  Hanover  for 
an  apartment  in  her  palace  as  that  simple  girl  for 
shelter  that  might,  perhaps,  be  inconvenient  for  her 
to  bestow  upon  me.  And  so,  indeed,  it  proved  that 
*  The  beer  of  that  country,  which  is  celebrated  for  its  excellence. 


260         THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

it  would  have  been  ;  for  the  good  miner  and  his  wife, 
who  gave  me  leave  to  sleep  in  their  hut  that  night, 
not  very  far  distant  from  the  cottage  where  I  had 
seen  the  young  girl,  informed  me  that  she  and  her 
brother  lived  with  their  father,  a  rough  miner,  who 
treated  his  children  harshly,  and  would,  in  all  proba- 
bility, have  rendered  it  impossible  for  his  daughter 
to  have  given  me  the  hospitality  I  sought. 

"  Next  day  I  could  not  refrain  from  lingering 
about  the  cottage,  in  the  hope  of  again  seeing  the 
sweet  girl  who  had  interested  me  so  powerfully. 
From  the  spot  where  I  had  stood  listening  to  her 
hymn  on  the  previous  evening  I  could  see  well, 
without  myself  being  seen ;  and  here  I  obtained 
several  glimpses  of  her  during  the  morning,  as  she 
flitted  to  and  fro  in  the  cottage,  attending  to  her 
various  household  duties,  making  the  home  of  her 
father  and  brother  neat  and  comfortable.  In  the 
evening  I  had  again  the  delight  of  listening  to  her 
lovely  voice,  pouring  forth  its  exquisite  tones  in 
praise  and  thanksgiving ;  but  there  was  something 
in  her  gentle  purity  that  prevented  my  addressing 
her  again,  for  I  felt  still  that  there  was  a  sort  of 
impertinence  in  intruding  myself  upon  her,  unsought 
and  probably  undesired.  Methought  I  wanted  some 
occasion  where  my  presence  could  be  useful  or  my 
aid  needful  to  this  innocent,  saint-like  being,  to  war- 
rant my  approach. 

"  This  occasion  presented  itself  sooner  than  I  could 
have  expected,  or,  indeed,  wished,  for  I  already 
learned  to  prefer  her  peace  and  happiness  to  my  own 
gratification. 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  261 

"  I  ought  to  mention  that  I  had  made  an  agree- 
ment with  the  worthy  mirier  and  his  wife  that  I 
should  pay  them  for  the  use  of  the  small  room  which 
they  could  afford  to  let  me  have  out  of  the  narrow 
space  there  was  for  themselves  and  their  large  family 
of  children  in  the  hut  they  inhabited,  and,  under 
pretence  of  wishing  to  explore  the  mines  in  the  vicin- 
ity, I  was  enabled  thus  to  linger  in  a  spot  so  inter- 
esting to  me. 

"  One  evening,  I  had  been  detained  rather  later 
than  usual  by  a  visit  I  had  paid  to  a  neighboring 
mine,  in  order  to  give  color  to  my  pretext,  and,  on 
repairing  to  the  nook  where  I  pufsue*d  my  concealed 
watching,  I  found  I  had  out-stayed  the  hour  of  the 
vesper  hymn  ;  and  I  had  scarcely  regretted  this,  ere 
I  was  seized  with  far  deeper  regret,  on  seeing  the 
gentle  singer  herself  issue  from  the  cottage  door,  in 
tears. 

"  She  was  accompanied  by  a  coarse,  ill-favored 
man,  whom,  from  all  I  had  heard  from  my  host  and 
hostess,  I  had  no  difficulty  in  guessing  at  once  to  be 
her  father.  From  amidst  the  thick,  grizzly  mat  of 
hair  which  formed  his  moustachios  and  beard  there 
hung  a  pipe  that  sent  up  clouds  of  smoke  over  his 
hard,  disagreeable  features,  while  he  flung  himself 
upon  the  seat  his  daughter  had  occupied  the  first 
evening  I  had  seen  her.  She  now  stood  meekly  be- 
fore him,  her  hands  folded  on  her  breast  and  her 
tears  falling  fast,  while  he  sat  puffing  away,  a-nd 
growling  roughly,  as  he  said, 

"  '  Listen  to  me,  girl,  and  mark  well  my  words. 
I  am  determined  I  will  not  ba  thwarted  any  longer 


262  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

by  that  idle,  wilful  young  dog,  your  brother.  He 
has  too  long  had  his  own  way,  and  lost  his  time  with 
a  parcel  of  idle  fancies  that  are  only  fit  to  fill  his 
head  with  nonsense,  and  prevent  his  becoming  a  good 
hard-working  miner,  like  his  father  and  his  grand- 
father before  him.  Who  's  he  —  who  7s  Karl  —  I 
should  like  to  know,'  that  he  ?s  to  set  himself  up 
above  his  honest  forefathers,  and  pretend  to  be  a 
gentleman,  forsooth  ? ; 

"The  soft  voice  of  his  daughter  here  interposed, 
with  — 

"  'Indeed,  father,  Karl  has  no  thought  of  becom- 
ing a  gentleman,  or  desiring  to  be  better  than  your- 
self; he  only  wishes  — ' 

'"He  only  wishes  —  he  only  wishes/  broke  in 
the  man,  with  an  angry  growl ;  '  don't  tell  me,  girl.  I 
know  very  well  that  Karl  despises  a  miner's  life,  and 
sighs  to  go  abroad  and  make  a  fool  of  himself ;  and  I 
don't  choose  that  he  shall  —  do  you  hear,  Barbara  ? 
I  choose  that  he  shall  stay  at  home,  and  gain  an 
honest  livelihood  by  working  in  the  mines  by  my 
side.  I  choose  that  he  shall  remain  with  me,  as  you 
are  so  soon  to  leave  me,  girl.  So  tell  him  that,  Bar- 
bara, and  tell  him  that  I  will  be  obeyed, —  do  you 
mind, —  or  he  shall  rue  it  bitterly.7 

"  So  saying,  the  man  arose,  and,  seizing  his  fur 
cap,  he  flung  from  his  daughter,  heedless  of  her  sor- 
row, and  walked  away,  muttering,  growling,  clench- 
ing his  hands,  and  frowning  fiercely. 

"  Poor  Barbara  dropped  upon  the  seat  he  had  just 
quitted,  and  buried  her  face  in  her  hands. 

11  The  sight  of  her  distress  and  her  sisterly  sorrow 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  263 

inspired  me  withv  boldness,  in  the  hope  of  relieving 
them  ;  so  I  crept  to  her  side,  and,  gently  drawing 
away  the  hand,  wet  with  tears  that  crept  through  the 
slender  fingers,  I  said, 

"  '  Tell  me  what  I  can  do  to  help  you,  Barbara.' 

"  She  looked  surprised,  but  not  so  much  so  as 
might,  perhaps,  haye  been  expected,  for  she  only 
said, 

"  'The  Blessed  Virgin  sends  me  a  kind  voice  to 
comfort  me,  and  a  manly  arm  to  aid  me.  I  remember 
you/  she  added,  gazing  into  my  face  with  a  simple 
earnestness  as  remote  from  freedom  as  it  was  from 
the  usual  bashful  regard  with  which  girls  of  her  age 
usually  meet  &  stranger's  look ;  '  you  received  a 
draught  of  water  at  my  hands- the  other  evening 
with  a  kindly  warmth  of  thanks  that  bespoke  your 
own  grateful  heart  rather  than  the  value  of  the  gift.' 

"  '  Tell  me  if  I  can  render  you  better  than  thanks, 
in  the  shape  of  help,  Barbara/  I  replied ;  for  I  felt 
suddenly  relieved  from  my  sense  of  respect  and  dis- 
tance, by  her  frank,  unembarrassed  manner,  as  well 
as  by  my  hope  of  being  useful  to  her. 

"  '  Yes,  I  think  you  can  help  me/  she  said  ;  '  and 
it  would  be  doing  injustice  to  your  generous  kindness, 
no  less  than  to  the  aid  vouchsafed  to  me  by  the  blessed 
Mother  of  Heaven,  who  has  doubtless  sent  you  to 
me  in  my  distress,  did  I  fail  to  unfold  my  griefs  to 
you,  or  refuse  to  avail  myself  of  your  offered  assist- 
ance.' 

"Barbara  then  related  to  me  her  little  history. 
She  told  me  how  her  brother  had  ever  shown  a  dis- 
inclination fora  miner's  drudgery,  and  had  frequently 


264  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

exasperated  their  father  by  declaring  his  intention  of 
quitting  this  life  of  slavery,  as  soon  as  he  should  be 
old  enough  to  free  himself.  She  said  Karl  had  early 
shown  a  talent  for  drawing,  and  raved  perpetually  of 
his  longing  to  become  an  artist,  and  of  his  deter- 
mination to  wander  some  day  to  Italy,  that  he  might 
study  there.  That  he  spent  all  his  leisure  time  in 
sketching  and  drawing  on  the  walls  of  their  huts 
with  pieces  of  chalk  or  colored  earth,  and  that  he 
incurred  their  father's  frequent  displeasure  by  losing 
his  time  in  this  way,  and  in  wandering  among  the 
neighboring  mountains  on  moonlight  nights,  when 
he  ought,  their  father  said,  to  be  sleeping  soundly, 
and  gaining  rest  and  strength  for  next  day's  labor. 

"  '  But/  continued  Barbara,  her  voice  trembling 
and  her  face .  becoming  agitated,  '  I  sometimes,  of 
late,  fear  that  there  is  more  in  these  night  ramblings 
of  Karl's  than  mere  searching  after  scenery  and  sub- 
jects for  his  sketches,  for  he  grows  thin,  and  his  lips 
are  parched,  and  his  hand  is  hot  and  burning,  and  his 
eyes  are  hollow  and  fixed,  and  he  looks  very,  very  ill ; 
and,  indeed,  I  sometimes  fancy/  and  here  Barbara's 
voice  sunk  to  a  timid  whisper,  '  do  you  know,  I  really 
sometimes  fancy  that  my  poor  Karl  is  under  some 
spell !  I  have  heard  father  Peter  describe  just  such 
symptoms  in  people  who  are  haunted  by  the  evil 
spirit.  Heaven  send  that  my  dear  brother  holds  no 
intercourse  with  the  fiends  and  demons  of  the  neigh- 
boring Harz  Forest ! ' 

"  '  And  who  is  father  Peter  ?  '  I  asked. 

"  '  Our  confessor,  at  the  convent  hard  by/  replied 
Barbara, 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  265 

"  I  endeavored  to  encourage  her,  by  arguing,  as 
well  as  I  could,  on  the  improbability  of  her  brother's 
being  under  any  such  influence  ;  but  the  words  of  her 
ghostly  father,  together  with  her  sisterly  fears,  had 
produced  too  strong  an  impression  on  Barbara's  en- 
thusiastic nature  to  be  effectively  combated  by  the 
few  suggestions  I  could  offer. 

"  She  led  me  into  the  cottage,  and  showed  me  the 
chalk  drawings  and  sketches  with  which  the  walls 
had  been  literally  covered  by  her  brother's  hand  ;  and, 
from  the  little  judgment  I  was  able  to  form  upon 
such  a  matter,  they  appeared  to  me  to  indicate  great 
power  and  truth  to  nature.  I  was  sorry  that  a  lad 
who  felt  within  himself  a  desire  to  rise  above  a 
sordid  pursuit,  and  a  conviction  of  his  own  talent 
to  carry  into  effect  this  aspiration,  should  be  chained 
and  withheld  from  his  endeavor  to  soar.  But  my 
thoughts  were  suddenly  recalled  from  the  contem- 
plation of  the  young  artist's  productions,  by  the 
recollection  of  a  few  words  that  her  father  had 
uttered. 

"  '  What  did  your  father  mean,  Barbara,  by  saying 
that  he  chose  Karl  to  remain  with  him,  as  you  were 
so  soon  to  leave  him  ? '  asked  I,  abruptly. 

"  '  When  I  was  about  a  twelvemonth  old,'  an- 
swered Barbara,  '  my  mother  had  a  dangerous  illness, 
and  she  vowed  that,  if  she  were  permitted  to  recover, 
she  would  dedicate  her  little  daughter  to  the  service 
of  the  Virgin,  in  the  Convent  of  St.  Barbara,  close  by, 
when  the  child  should  have  reached  the  age  of  seven- 
teen. My  mother  recovered  from  that  illness, 
although  she  sunk  beneath  another,  which  she  had 


266  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

four  years  after  ;  but  my  father  adheres  to  the  fulfil- 
ment of  her  vow,  and  knows  that  I  am  to  enter  my 
novitiate  on  my  seventeenth  birthday,  which  will  fall 
in  a  week's  time.7 

"  I  felt  that  I  turned  deadly  pale  ;  but  I  put  a 
firm  control  on  my  emotion,  when  I  perceived  the 
calm,  hopeful,  saint-like  expression  on  Barbara's  coun- 
tenance, which  betokened  how  entirely  her  own  de- 
voted enthusiasm  led  her  to  rejoice  in  the  vocation 
to  which  her  mother's  will  had  consigned  her. 

"  Meanwhile,  Barbara,  wrapt  solely  in  the  thought 
of  her  brother's  welfare,  told  me  that  she  had  over- 
heard Karl  mutter  to  himself  bitter  words,  that  very 
morning,  when  goaded  by  their  father's  expressly 
forbidding  him  to  think  of  any  other  life  than  the 
miner's;  adding,  tauntingly  — 

"  '  Besides,  how  can  a  poor  lad  like  you  ever  hope 
to  scrape  money  enough  to  take  you  away  from  this 
place  ?  No,  no  ;  stay  where  I  bid  you,  Karl,  or  it 
shall  be  the  worse  for  you  ! ' 

"  And  the  words  which  Barbara  had  overheard  her 
brother  mutter  were  — 

"'I  will  perish  rather!  so  I  must  keep  my  ap- 
pointment in  the  forest  this  night,  come  what  will 
of  it!7 

"  She  then  said  that  she  had  determined,  at  all 
risks,  to  watch  her  brother,  and  to  follow  him  if  she 
found  he  left  the  cottage  during  the  night. 

"  '  I  need  not  fear  the  darkness,'  she  added  ;  'the 
Blessed  Virgin  will  protect  me  through  the  forest, 
and  why  should  I  dread  perils  that  Karl  goes  to 
meet,  and  from  which  I  would  try  to  save  him  ? 7 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  26Y 

"  '  You  shall  not  go/  said  I,  hastily  ;  '  I  will  follow 
your  brother  for  you,  Barbara.7 

"  'I  hoped  this  from  you/  said  she,  with  a  smile 
of  approving  sweetness  such  as  an  angel  might  wear 
when  commending  human  endeavor  ;  '  I  hoped  that 
you  would  offer  to  accompany  me,  and  we  will  go 
together.  My  father  is  gone,  I  know,  to  the  neigh- 
boring village,  where  his  rough  companions  will 
detain  him  drinking  and  laughing  till  daylight ;  he 
frequently  stays  until  the  time  for  next  day's  labor, 
and  so  returns  not  to  our  cottage  until  the  following 
evening,  after  one  of  these  carousals  ;  so  we  shall  be 
able  to  follow  my  poor  Karl  unobserved  to  his  ap- 
pointment, which  I  cannot  help  dreading  is  of  a  fear- 
ful nature,  for  I  saw  his  face  as  he  uttered  those 
'words,  and  there  was  that  in  it  which  made  me 
tremble  with  dismay/  I  availed  myself  of  the  agita- 
tion that  seized  her  as  she  merely  recalled  her 
brother's  look,  and  urged  her  to  let  me  follow  him 
that  night  alone.  I  represented  to  her  that  it  was 
more  than  probable  her  sisterly  heart  led  her  to  ex- 
aggerate the  danger,  and  that  she  could  confide  in 
me  to  protect  him  to  the  utmost.  I  at  length  pre- 
vailed, and  she  promised  to  remain. 

"  From  my  post  of  concealment,  whence  I  had  so 
often  observed  Barbara  in  her  innocent  beauty,  and 
listened  to  her  liquid  song,  I  watched  the  cottage  far 
into  the  hours  of  darkness.  Just  as  the  neighboring 
convent  clock  chimed  eleven,  I  saw  a  youth  steal 
softly  forth,  and  proceed  with  rapid  steps  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  forest.  At  first  I  carefully  kept  my- 
self screened  within  shadow,  as  I  followed  the  track 


268          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

of  the  youth,  lest  he  should  by  chance  turn  and  per- 
ceive that  he  was  watched  ;  but  he  was  far  too  deeply 
absorbed  in  his  own  thoughts,  and  the  project  which 
occupied  him,  to  heed  anything  or  anybody.  He 
went  eagerly  and  recklessly  on,  and  scarcely  seemed 
to  note  the  familiar  objects  that  met  his  eye,  though 
the  scene  was  sufficiently  striking  ;  but  kept  on  a 
blind,  undeviating,  instinctive  pace,  like  one  walking 
in  his  sleep. 

"  After  we  had  quitted  the  spot  where  the  miners' 
huts  lay  thinly  scattered,  forming  a  sort  of  rude 
hamlet,  our  path  became  rougher  and  more  wild. 
The  sky  too  had  clouded  over,  and  the  night  became 
boisterous  and  stormy,  adding  to  the  savage  dreari- 
ness of  the  scene.  The  rocks  and  crags  frowned 
menacingly  as  they  were  partially  revealed  by  the 
shifting  light  of  the  scudding  clouds  ;  and  the  dark 
pine-trees  waved  their  gloomy  heads  with  ominous 
aspect,  as  the  wind-blast  howled  fiercely  through 
them.  They  looked  as  if  tossed  and  hurled  to  and 
fro  by  malignant  spirits,  while,  by  their  shrieks  and 
threats,  they  seemed  to  warn  all  intruders  from  ven- 
turing thither  to  witness  their  torment.  It  seemed 
a  fit  spot  for  midnight  murder,  or  for  the  assemblage 
of  evil  spirits  to  hold  their  unhallowed  revels,  and 
perform  their  impious  rites.  Barbara's  fears,  and 
her  confessor's  admonition  respecting  fiends  and 
demons,  seemed  as  if  too  likely  to  be  verified  by 
Karl's  repairing  at  the  dead  hour  of  midnight  to  such 
a  resort  as  this.  Yet  still  the  youth  kept  on  his 
headlong  course.  With  downward-bent  head  and 
resolute  shoulders,  he  met  the  beating  rain  and  the 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  269 

stunning  wind,  and  steadily  preserved  his  onward 
way,  regardless  of  brawling  torrent,  steep  ascent, 
abrupt  inequalities,  gnarled  trees,  roaring  waterfall, 
obstructive  underwood,  or  whirling  branches  torn  by 
the  wind.  Deafening  noise,  blinding  storm,  rugged 
path,  were  equally  ineffectual  in  checking  his  prog- 
ress ;  on  he  went,  and  on  I  followed  him. 

"  Suddenly,  amid  the  crash  and  din  of  the  warring 
elements,  came  a  strange  sound  as  of  the  chase  ; 
discordant  bugles,  baying  hounds,  and  trampling 
horses,  mingled  their  noise  in  the  air,  and  I  beheld  a 
train  of  skeleton  hunters  take  their  spectral  way 
along  a  pale  streak  that  glimmered  athwart  the  dark 
turbid  sky. 

"  Karl  shouted,  wildly,  '  Black  huntsman  of  Ko- 
denstein,  descend  !  come  to  my  succor !  ' 

"  But  the  spectral  train  kept  on,  the  men  hallooing, 
the  horses  neighing  and  trampling,  the  dogs  baying, 
and  the  lordly  hunter  cheering  them  on  in  their  mad 
career  through  the  air. 

"  We  too  went  on  till  we  came  to  a  waste  hill- 
side, where,  beneath  the  withered  branches  of  a 
lightning-scathed  tree,  stood  a  gigantic  hairy  figure, 
his  head  and  loins  begirt  with  oak-leaves,  and  in 
his  hand  an  uprooted  fir-tree,  that  served  him  as  a 
club. 

"  '  Demon  of  the  Harz,  I  invoke  thy  aid  !  ?  gasped 
Karl ;  '  refuse  not  to  help  me  ;  remember  thou  hast 
ere  now  promised  thy  assistance,  should  I  seek  it 
with  a  determined  spirit.  I  am  now  resolved.' 

"  The  demon  burst  into  a  harsh,  derisive  laugh. 

"  '  I  have  yet  another  name,  as  thou  well  knowest  * 


270          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

Call  upon  me  by  that ! '  yelled  the  fiend,  as  he  van- 
ished. 

"But  the  last  faint  echo  of  his  mocking  peal  of 
laughter  had  scarcely  died  away,  and  given  place  to 
the  solemn  stroke  of  midnight  that  reached  us  from 
the  distant  convent  bell,  when  a  form  in  a  succinct 
scholarly  dress,  with  a  single  tapering  feather  de- 
pending from  his  student's  cap,  stood  confronting 
Karl  with  folded  arms,  piercing  look,  and  scornful 
attitude. 

"  '  And  yet  it  matters  not  that  thou  shouldst  utter 
the  word/  said  the  form,  a  malignant  sneer  curling 
his  lip  ;  '  thou  hast  already  repeated  it  many  times 
in  thy  heart,  when  writhing  beneath  the  perverseness 
of  thy  fate.  And  so  thou  art  resolved,  art  thou  ? 
Tell  me  how  thou  art  resolved,  and  why  thou  hast 
hitherto  disdained  my  assistance, —  assistance  offered 
more  than  once,  ungrateful  boy,  in  our  forest  meet- 
ings !  Speak  boldly,  and  tell  me  how,  and  why.' 

"  '  I  am  resolved  no  longer  to  submit  to  undue 
tyranny/  replied  the  unhappy  youth,  with  the  reck- 
lessness of  one  determined  to  abide  all  risks  in  the 
pursuance  of  a  cherished  hope  ;  '  as  long  as  I  believed 
that  patience  and  submission  would  at  last  win  me  a 
fair  hearing, —  as  long  as  I  fancied  that  a  reasonable 
preference  might  gain  attention,  and  a  laudable  am- 
bition be  permitted  to  have  its  free  course, —  I  en- 
deavored calmly  to  await  the  time  when  parental 
authority  would  yield  its  prejudice,  and  sanction  my 
choice.  I  dreaded  to  disobey  my  father,  and  coulc 
not  endure  the  thought  of  quitting  my  dear  Barbara 
—  my  sweet,  innocent  sister  ! ' 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  2fl 

"  '  Name  her  not ! '  hastily  interrupted  the  frown- 
ing form. 

"  '  But  my  dutiful  passiveness  has  been  trampled 
on/  continued  Karl,  heedless  of  the  interruption  ; 
'  my  aspirations  have  been  scoffed  at  and  forbidden  ; 
I  am  irrationally  and  tyrannically  doomed  to  per- 
petual slavery,  instead  of  liberty, —  to  a  living  burial 
beneath  the  earth,  instead  of  free  enjoyment  of  air 
and  sunshine, —  to  a  withering  of  my  faculties  amid 
the  drudgery  of  a  mine,  instead  of  their  cultivation, 
their  development,  their  crowning  fruition,  in  the 
study  of  a  glorious  art.  Goaded  to  desperation  by 
so  despotic  a  fate,  I  am  resolved  to  elude  its  grasp, 
and  fly  my  native  home  forever.  Give  me  the 
means ! ' 

"  '  And  who  art  thou  ?  —  who  am  I  ?  —  that  I 
should  endow  thee  with  means  to  pursue  thy  will  ? ' 
scoffingly  replied  the  swart  spirit.  'Come  —  be 
honest  —  thou  knowest  me  well,  and  what  I  would 
have  in  return  for  these  means  —  these  golden  wings 
that  shall  enable  thee  to  escape  thy  fetters  and  seek 
artistic  freedom  and  glory.  Thou  canst  doubtless 
write,  as  well  as  thou  canst  draw/  sneered  he.  'I 
will  be  plain  —  trace  thy  name  simply  here,  and  un- 
limited riches,  to  travel  or  to  spend  as  thou  wilt, 
shall  be  thine.  Sign,  and  be  free  ! ' 

"  '  Enslaved  rather/  murmured  the  youth,  shudder- 
ing, as  the  spirit  drew  forth  a  tablet  and  a  pen,  in 
which  lurked  a  ruddy  drop,  and  held  them  towards 
Karl. 

" '  Think  of  the  dark,  deep  mine,  where,  shrouded 
from  the  light  of  day,  your  limbs  will  waste  in  slavish 


272  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

toil,  and  your  young  spirit  will  be  consumed  in  its 
own  smothered  ardor/  urged  the  evil  tempter  ;  '  think 
of  Italy  and  her  illustrious  artist-children,  among 
whom  your  name  may  one  day  be  enrolled  as  an 
adopted  brother  ! ' 

"  'And  thus  win  immortality  among  men,  at  the 
peril  of  my  own  immortal  soul ! '  faltered  the  un- 
happy youth.  '  What  —  what  can  I  do  ?  ' 

"  '  Think  of  thy  pure  sister  !  Think  of  thy  heav- 
enly Father,  and  implore  his  almighty  aid  ! ;  I  ex- 
claimed aloud. 

"  A  sharp  clap  of  thunder  rent  the  air,  and  then 
rolled  in  deep  reverberations  along  the  hill-side, 
while  the  swart  form  vanished  from  the  side  of  Karl, 
who  sank  senseless  into  my  arms,  as  I  sprang  from 
my  lurking-place  to  sustain  him. 

"  A  startled  scream  had  mingled  with  the  thunder- 
clap, and  presently  Barbara  came  running  towards 
me  from  the  forest,  and,  flinging  herself  on  her  knees 
close  to  her  brother,  used  every  effort  to  assist  me 
in  recovering  him  from  the  deep  swoon  into  which  he 
had  fallen. 

"  Upon  his  slowly  regaining  his  senses,  we  all 
three  entered  into  mutual  questions  and  explanations, 
which  tended  to  calm  and  restore  the  unhappy 
youth,  after  the  excitement  and  violent  revulsion  of 
feeling  that  he  had  lately  undergone.  We  found  that 
Barbara,  unable  to  bear  the  suspense  and  anxiety 
that  seized  her  upon  remaining  alone  in  the  cottage 
after  her  brother  had  gone  forth,  had  determined  to 
follow  us,  and  had  succeeded  in  overtaking  us  just 
as  the  sudden  thunder-clap  had  startled  her,  and  she 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  273 

had  beheld  her  brother  fall  into  a  swoon.  I  pressed 
Karl's  hand  as  a  signal  that  he  should  mention 
nothing  of  the  frightful  interview  that  had  preceded 
her  arrival,  though  it  was  evident  that  sfre  sus- 
pected something  terrible  had  occurred  to  throw  her 
brother  into  the  state  of  agitation  in  which  she  found 
him  ;  but,  on  my  begging  her  to  postpone  all  inquiries 
until  the  morning,  when  Karl  should  be  better  recov- 
ered, we  returned  to  the  cottage. 

"  Barbara's  surmise  that  her  father  would  not  come 
home  that  night  from  his  carousal  proved  correct ;  so 
that  we  had  plenty  of  time  to  form  our  plans  for  the 
future. 

"  It  was  agreed  between  us  that  Karl  should  set 
out  with  me  in  the  course  of  a  few  days  for  Italy,  and 
that  the  expenses  of  his  travel  and  of  his  proposed 
sojourn  in  Rome  should  be  defrayed  by  the  money  I 
could  obtain  by  the  sale  of  some  more  of  Eudora's 
diamonds.  As  for  myself,  I  was  not  sorry  to  have 
this  immediate  prospect  of  a  change  of  scene,  which 
might  help  me  to  rid  my  heart  of  a  heavy  pain  that 
seized  it  on  hearing  Barbara  say  — 

"  '  I  part  with  thee  willingly,  happily,  my  brother. 
Protected  as  thou  art  by  this  brave  mariner,  and  en- 
dowed by  his  generosity  with  the  means  of  pursuing 
thy  beloved  art,  I  shall  now  be  able  to  devote  myself 
to  my  still  more  beloved  vocation,  undisturbed  by  a 
single  anxious  thought  for  thy  future  welfare.  I 
shall  now  be  able  to  resign  myself  unreservedly  to 
the  blissful  task  of  returning  thanks  for  thy  past 
delivery  from  peril  worse  than  death,  and  of  praying 
night  and  day  to  our  Almighty  Father  to  guard  thee 
18 


274  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

from  all  future  harm.  In  the  calm  seclusion  of  my 
convent  I  can  humbly  seek  the  intercession  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  and  sue  to  the  throne  of  mercy  for 
the  safety  and  happiness  of  my  dear  brother,  together 
with  that  of  his  brave  and  generous  friend,  whom, 
notwithstanding  his  difference  of  faith,  I  trust  I  may 
hereafter  meet  in  heaven,  to  thank  spiritually  for  his 
goodness  to  me  and  mine  here  on  earth/ 

"At  first  my  spirit  sickened  to  feel  that  this  fair 
creature  whom  I  loved  so  deeply  was  thus  lost  to 
me  forever  in  this  world ;  but,  as  I  revolved  the 
misery  which  almost  invariably  attends  a  union 
between  those  who  differ  in  religious  creed,  I  learned 
to  rejoice  in  her  being  so  fully  wedded  to  the  voca- 
tion to  which  she  had  been  devoted  by  her  mother. 
She,  at  any  rate,  would  be  spared  regret  and  suffer- 
ing, and  I  resolved  to  find  comfort  in  this  thought, 
and  to  do  my  best  towards  reconciling  myself  to  my 
own  disappointment.  Besides,  I  thought,  what  right 
had  I  to  expect  that  this  gentle  inland  girl  would 
ever  have  consented  to  become  the  wife  of  one  who 
had  an  insatiable  craving  after  a  wandering  life  ? 
Why  should  I  doom  her  to  live  with  a  husband  who 
would  feel  a  residence  on  land  a  perpetual  chain, 
and  perhaps  come  in  time  to  regard  her  as  the  irk- 
some link  that  riveted  his  fetters  ;  or  condemn  her 
to  a  companionship  with  one  who  probably  might 
induce  her  to  quit  her  native  land,  and  incur  the 
perils  and  hardships  of  an  ocean  life,  for  his  sake  ? 
When  I  thought  of  these  things,  I  felt  self-rebuked, 
and  contemplated  with  greater  serenity  my  approach- 
ing separation  from  the  sweet,  saint-like  Barbara. 


KIT   BAM,    MARINER  275 

You  see,  my  dear  young  friends,  the  magic  volume, 
the  gift  of  old  Erudito,  the  Book  of  Self-disenchant- 
ment, had  left  some  traces  of  the  useful  lessons  I  had 
read  there,  and  that  it  had  at  any  rate  taught  me  the 
habit  of  conscientious  discipline  and  sclf-examiriation  ; 
so  that  when,  soon  after,  I  was  called  upon  to  attend 
with  Karl  the  ceremonial  of  his  sister's  entering  upon 
her  novitiate  in  the  Convent  of  St.  Barbara,  her' 
patron  saint,  I  was  enabled  to  maintain  a  calm  ex- 
terior, and  to  subdue  any  remaining  pangs  of  selfish 
regret. 

11 1  beheld  her  installed  among  her  sister  novices, 
and  led  away  in  their  train,  their  white  garments 
and  timid  maiden  steps  preceding  the  sober  pro- 
cession of  the  black-clad  nuns,  as  they  paced  round 
the  chapel  of  the  convent  where  the  ceremony  was 
performed,  previous  to  admission  within  the  interior 
precincts.  I  watched  their  floating  veils,  and  their 
departing  figures ;  and,  as  the  sad  and  solemn  hymn 
was  softly  chanted  by  their  united  voices,  I  fancied 
I  could  distinguish  the  sweet,  full  tones  that  had  so 
often  thrilled  me  with  their  devotional  purity,  and 
which  now  seemed  to  reach  me  with  the  tender  fare- 
well of  a  benignant  angel,  in  soft  compassion  for  my 
human  regret. 

"  The  very  next  day  Karl  and  I  set  off  on  our 
journey  ;  he  eager  to  reach  the  land  of  his  long- 
desired  studies,  I  anxious  to  quit  a  vicinity  that  had 
now  lost  all  charm  for  me. 

"  At  Hanover  I  converted  another  of  my  diamonds 
into  cash  ;  and,  though  I  did  not  make  so  good  a 
bargain  as  I  did  with  the  Jew  at  Cairo,  yet  it  sufficed 


21 6  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

for  our  travelling  expenses,  which  were  conducted  on 
the  most  frugal  plan,  in  order  to  reserve  as  much 
money  as  possible  to  furnish  funds  for  Karl's  resi- 
dence in  Rome,  as  well  as  to  supply  me  with  the  sum 
which  I  had  always  determined  to  bestow  on  the 
mother  of  poor  Titta,  the  murdered  cabin-boy,  as  the 
legacy  left  her  by  her  son.  I  resolved  to  seek  her 
as  soon  as  we  reached  Genoa,  and  to  give  her  enough 
io  render  the  latter  days  of  her  old  age  as  comfortable 
as  the  small  sum  which  went  to  the  bottom  of  the 
sea  in  the  poor  lad's  neck-kerchief  would  have  made 
her,  had  it  been  quadrupled  by  the  exertions  which 
he  would  never  have  remitted  had  he  been  spared  to 
return  to  her. 

"  At  Gottingen,  also,  we  tarried  for  a  day  to  call 
for  a  young  student  there,  who  had  once  been  a 
neighbor  of  Karl's,  and  who  was  as  anxious  to  visit 
Italy  as  Barbara's  brother.  This  young  student/ 
whose  name  was  Leopold,  had  parents  who  were  not 
-  only  much  richer,  but  more  indulgent  than  the  father 
of  my  poor  friend,  and  who  had  yielded  to  their  son's 
desire  to  become  a  musician.  After  a  period  of 
general  study,  therefore,  at  the  university  at  Got- 
tingen, he  was  about  to  prosecute  his  own  favorite 
science  in  Italy,  the  cradle  of  the  Fine  Arts  :  and  he 
was  as  anxious  to  go  in  the  society  of  his  old  friend 
and  neighbor,  as  Karl  was  to  have  his  companion- 
ship. 

"  Cheerfully  and  happily  did  we  trudge  along  day 
by  day.  My  spirits  rose  with  those  of  the  two  merry, 
good-humored  youths,  who  were  full  of  pleasant  antici- 
pations and  high  romantic  hopes  of  future  fame  and 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  277 

success  ;  and,  as  we  drew  nearer  and  nearer  to  the 
goal  of  their  wishes,  they  were  gayer  and  gayer  and 
happier  and  happier.  As  I  looked  at  Karl's  joyous 
face,  and  listened  to  his  frank,  free  laugh,  I  asked 
myself  whether  I  had  not  reaped  a  rich  harvest  in 
converting  the  agitated,  care-worn  expression  that 
had  distorted  his  countenance  that  night  upon  the 
Brocken  into  the  smiling,  animated  glance  that  now 
sparkled  from  his  eyes. 

"  I  sighed  as  I  thought  of  Barbara  ;  but  I  was  con- 
soled when  I  looked  upon  her  brother,  and  saw  his 
present  happiness,  in  which  I  knew  hers  was  so 
en  wrapt. 

"  But  here  is  the  darkness  coming  on,  my  dears," 
said  the  old  mariner,  interrupting  his  narrative  ;  "I 
did  not  know  it  was  so  late." 

"  But  you  can  talk  in  the  dark,  you  know,  Kit, 
just  as  well  as  in  the  light, —  can't  you?"  asked 
Fanny. 

"  Get  along,  do,  youcoaxer!"  answered  the  old 
man,  as  he  put  her  gently  away  from  him,  bidding 
God  bless  her,  and  wishing  them  both  good-night. 


278  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 


CHAPTER   X. 

MJCERNE. LAKE   OP   THE   FOUR   CANTONS. THE   DEVIL'S     BRIDGE. 

GENOA. THE   SINGER  AND  THE  PRISONER.  —  TITTA'S   MOTHER. 

THE   LONE  HOUSE. 

THE  next  evening  Fanny  and  her  brother  resumed 
their  seats  by  the  old  mariner's  side,  and  he  his  nar- 
rative, as  follows : 

"At  Lucerne  a  letter  reached  Karl  from  his  sister 
Barbara.  It  represented  her  as  the  happiest  of  the 
happy  in  her  new  placid  sphere  of  existence  ;  it  in- 
voked blessings  on  her  brother  and  their  joint  friend  ; 
and  anticipated  joyfully  the  period  when  Karl  should 
return  to  his  native  land,  an  artist  of  sufficient  emi- 
nence to  paint  an  altar-piece  for  the  Convent  of  Saint 
Barbara. 

"This  letter  conduced  still  further  to  animate  our 
spirits,  and  we  embarked  next  morning  on  the  bosom 
of  the  lake  of  the  four  cantons,  as  if  wafted  onward 
by  seraphic  guidance  and  protection.  The  misty 
vapors  that  ushered  in  the  dawn  settled  like  a  thick 
veil  upon  the  waters,  shrouding  the  features  of  the 
surrounding  scenery  from  our  view  ;  but  when,  at 
length,  the  sun  arose  in  his  strength,  and  the  white 
folds  rolled  away,  gradually  lifting  up  and  floating 
off  in  lengthening  wreaths,  chased  by  his  resistless 
power,  what  a  scene  of  grandeur  and  beauty  wae 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  2T9 

disclosed  to  view !  Distant  villages,  green  shores, 
and  snow-clad  peaks,  gleamed  beneath  the  partial 
rays  of  early  light ;  towering  cliffs  sprung  from  the 
very  water's  edge,  and  seemed  to  defy  a  landing  to 
any  adventurous  steersman,  driven  by  stress  of 
weather,  or  by  the  sudden  squalls  of  wind  that  pre- 
vail on  these  Swiss  lakes  ;  or,  where  the  land  shelved 
away  less  precipitously,  scattered  cottages,  and  care- 
fully-herded flocks  cropping  a  scanty  vegetation, 
bespoke  the  industry  of  a  people  resolved  to  win  an 
existence  among  their  beloved  native  mountains,  pre- 
ferring its  hardships,  and  the  ceaseless  contention  with 
the  elements  which  it  imposed,  to  aught  of  greater 
luxury  and  ease  presented  by  life  elsewhere.  Majes- 
tic simplicity  with  lofty  beauty  here  display  their 
matchless  perfection,  and  the  race  who  dwell  amidst 
such  scenery  partake  of  the  noble  nature  of  all  around, 
—  liberty  of  conscience,  and  freedom  to  breathe  their 
native  air,  their  dearest  privilege  and  chief  aim  of 
existence. 

"Here,  the  field  of  Rutli,  a  verdant  patch  sus- 
pended almost  in  mid  air,  near  the  summit  of  one 
of  these  bold  cliffs,  recalls  to  mind  the  handful  of 
resolute  men  that  once  held  their  midnight  council 
on  that  remote  spot  to  discuss  their  rights,  and  con- 
sult upon  the  best  means  of  ridding  themselves  from 
an  oppressive  tyranny  ;  and  here,  too,  on  the  opposite 
shore,  amid  almost  inaccessible  crags,  stands  the 
humble  chapel  which  marks  the  spot  where  one  true 
heart  braved  the  leap  that  freed  him  from  the  hand? 
of  his  own  jailers,  and  led  to  his  country's  emanci- 
pation. Here,  as  I  mused  on  the  patriot  love  and 


280  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

fatherly  pangs  which  had  swelled  that  noble  heart, 
and  urged  him  to  perform  incredible  feats  of  prowess 
and  skill, —  feats  that  throw  those  of  the  bloody  field 
and  warlike  struggle  into  deepest  shade, —  what 
marvel,  if,  as  I  thought  on  these  things,  I  beheld  in 
fancy  the  form  of  a  man,  in  peasant  guise,  bearing  a 
cleft  apple  in  his  hand,  the  centre  and  very  core  of 
which  was  transfixed  with  an  arrow ;  whilst  his 
humble  attire  was  belied  by  his  free,  independent 
carriage,  and  the  frank,  open  brow  which  bore  the 
impress  of  God's  true  nobility  !  We  had  landed  at 
Pluellen,  and  reached  Altdorf,  the  scene  itself  of 
TelPs  chiefest  triumphs,  ere  these  musings  of  mine 
had  ceased  ;  and  then  we  proceeded  along  the  fair 
valley  which  leads  to  the  foot  of  Mount  St.  Gothard, 
the  pass  of  the  Alps  by  which  we  proposed  to  cross 
into  Italy.  We  kept  somewhat  to  the  main  track, 
but  more  frequently  diverged,  and  traversed  by-paths 
and  short  cuts  that  led  us  more  directly  to  the  sum- 
mit than  the  carriage-road,  and  enabled  us  to  enjoy 
minutely  the  details  as  well  as  the  general  effect  of 
this  romantic  pass.  The  rough  bridges  cast  athwart 
the  torrent ;  the  rude  chalets  sprinkled  here  and  there, 
exposed  to  the  fury  of  the  seasons,  to  the  threatening 
avalanche,  the  swollen  water-course,  the  drenching 
rain,  and  the  driving  wind,  the  terrific  force  of  which 
latter  was  sufficiently  indicated  by  tho  heavy  stones 
piled  carefully  on  the  roof  to  prevent  the  tiles  from 
being  blown  off  bodily ;  the  beautiful  contrasts  of 
color  afforded  by  the  foliage  springing  from  the  gray 
vocks  ;  the  groups  of  warm-colored  cattle  driven  to 
pasture  by  some  rustic  maiden,  or  grinning  cow-boy ; 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  281 

the  occasional  chapel,  or  winter  refuge  :  and,  above 
all,  the  majestic  snow-clad  peaks  of  the  higher  Alpn 
rising  in  towering  beauty,  and  roseate  with  the  toucli 
of  the  morning  sun,  combined  to  form  a  series  of 
natural  pictures  that  are  forever  impressed  upon  my 
memory.  Upon  my  friend  the  artist,  of  course,  they 
could  not  fail  of  producing  a  strong  effect ;  and  the 
young  musician,  Leopold,  too,  I  could  perceive,  no 
less  than  Karl,  was  deeply  moved  by  the  beauty  of 
these  new  scenes  among  which  we  were  passing.  I 
have  noticed  that  loving  students  in  each  art  are 
almost  equally  impressed  by  natural  beauty,  even 
when  it  seems  more  particularly  addressed  to  an 
individual  predilection.  The  musician  hears  melo- 
dious echoes  in  a  scene  of  pastoral  loveliness  ;  the 
painter  sees  warmth  and  color  in  a  solemn  harmony 
wafted  from  an  organ  along  cathedral  aisles  ;  the 
sculptor  beholds  graceful  forms,  the  architect  just 
proportion,  the  engraver  correct  outlines,  and  the 
poet  each  and  all  of  these,  in  some  glorious  mountain 
solitude,  where  Nature  appeals  eloquently  to  the 
ideal  of  Art  found  in  the  bosom  of  all  her  individual 
votaries.  As  we  proceeded  amid  these  Alpine  paths, 
at  first  our  respective  communings  with  Nature  in 
her  beauty  held  us  all  three  silent ;  but,  as  we,  after 
a  time,  spoke  softly  to  each  other,  and  gradually 
^rew  into  animated  discussion  together  on  the  loveli- 
ness around,  we  found  that  there  was  a  fourth  person 
taking  *a  part  in  our  conversation,  whom  we  had  not 
before  perceived.  We  had  none  of  us  noticed  at 
what  point  of  the  road  he  had  joined  our  party,  or 
whence  he  came,  or  who  he  was,  or  whither  he  was 


282       *  THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

going ;  but  he  walked  beside  us  at  our  pace,  and 
mingled  so  easily  in  the  talk,  which  we  were  by  this 
time  pursuing  in  loud-voiced  earnestness,  that  it 
seemed  a  matter  of  course  to  let  him  go  on  walking 
and  talking  without  further  question.  He  seemed  to 
be,  like  ourselves,  a  traveller,  in  the  modest  garb  of 
a  student,  and  with  no  particular  mark  or  pretension 
about  his  face  or  figure.  He  seemed  to  be  well 
educated,  and  to  have  read  a  good  deal ;  for  with  all 
the  subjects  touched  upon  in  the  course  of  our  con- 
versation he  seemed  to  be  conversant,  and  able  to 
express  himself  fluently,  and  even  to  afford  informa- 
tion. But  I  noticed  that  there  was  a  tinge  of  sarcasm 
in  all  he  said,  and  a  sort  of  unconscious  malice,  and 
involuntary  power  of  depicting  the  evil  side  of  every- 
thing that  came  under  discussion,  which  made  me 
instinctively  dread  and  dislike  this  stranger,  while  it 
checked  the  youthful  spirits  of  my  two  companions, 
and  made  them  each  moment  less  gay  and  animated. 
In  the  midst  of  some  trustful  vision  of  the  future, 
uttered  in  the  hopeful  spirit  of  youth  by  the  musician, 
Leopold,  the  stranger,  would  throw  in  some  chilling 
remark  about  the  sanguine  temperament  of  artists, 
and  the  ignorance  and  want  of  taste  with  which  the 
public  too  frequently  met  their  best  efforts  ;  and  when 
Karl,  in  the  innocence  of  his  heart,  indulged  in  some 
dream  of  a  historical  picture  that  was  to  employ 
months,  nay,  years  of  happily-devoted  existence,  the 
stranger  would  drop  hints  of  the  attachment  which 
cardinals  and  English  residents  in  Rome  proverbially 
cherished  for  their  own  portraits.  All  this  was  so 
artfully  done,  so  subtly  though  so  securely  inti 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  282 

mated,  that  the  two  youths  were  unconscious  of  the 
effect  produced  upon  their  minds  by  the  stranger's 
conversation,  but  I  could  perceive  the  venom  he  in- 
stilled through  his  apparently  careless  sentences,  and 
marked  well  the  gloom  that  crept  into  the  conversa- 
tion, and  spread  its  shadow  over  the  usually  beaming 
countenances  of  Karl  and  Leopold.  Each  time  the 
stranger  spoke,  it  was  as  if  a  deep  shade  were  cast 
upon  everything  around,  like  that  of  a  passing  cloud 
crossing  the  blue  heavens,  and  blotting  earth's  fail- 
surface. 

"  We  had  left  the  district  of  oaks,  ashes,  and  other 
trees,  and  had  ascended  to  less  cultivated  regions, 
where  pines  and  struggling  shrubs  were  the  only 
tokens  of  vegetation.  Leopold  had  lingered  some- 
what behind,  whilst  I  was  rather  in  advance,  when  I 
came  upon  a  bridge  crossing  a  gigantic  waterfall, 
that  hurled  its  foaming  waters  down  with  roaring 
vehemence,  and  dashed  forth  clouds  of  white  spray 
amid  a  crash  and  din  that  almost  deafened  me.  I 
stood  to  gaze  upon  the  wild  grandeur  of  the  tumbling 
torrent,  and  waited  until  my  companions  should  come 
up  with  me.  I  looked  back  to  note  how  far  off  they 
were,  and  I  could  see,  in  one  of  the  winding  paths 
below,  Leopold  toiling  on,  while  in  the  intervening 
turning,  between  him  and  myself,  were  Karl  and  the 
stranger,  apparently  in  deep  conversation.  From 
the  spot  where  I  stood,  I  gained  a  view  of  the  path, 
which  wound,  as  I  have  mentioned,  like  a  map,  be- 
neath me  ;  and  I  could  thus  perceive  the  approach- 
ing figures  of  each  of  my  comrades.  I  could  even 
distinguish  the  countenance  of  Karl,  which  bore 


284          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

marks  of  strong  agitation  and  terror  ;  but,  though 
he  was  near  enough  for  me  distinctly  to  discern  this, 
the  deafening  roar  of  the  cataract  prevented  my 
hearing  the  words  of  their  conversation.  Presently 
Karl  stopped,  and  I  beheld  the  figure  of  the  stranger 
assume  an  imperative  attitude  that  reminded  me  of 
something  I  had  seen  before,  and  then  Karl  drew 
back,  and  shook  his  head,  and  waved  the  stranger 
from  him,  while  he  in  turn  pressed  forward,  and 
eagerly  urged  some  point  upon  the  youth.  But  sud- 
denly I  saw  Karl  draw  himself  up,  and,  stretching 
forth  one  arm  firmly,  with  an  air  of  indignant  menace, 
towards  the  stranger,  he  drew  forth  with  his  other 
hand  his  sister  Barbara's  letter,  which  he  kissed 
reverentially,  and  then  placed  to  his  brow,  to  either 
side  of  his  bosom,  and  to  his  heart,  crossing  himself 
devoutly,  whilst  he  cast  appealing  eyes  to  heaven, 
and  by  the  motion  of  his  lips  I  could  see  that  he 
called  loudly  upon  the  sacred  name  for  protection 
against  the  temptation  of  the  evil  spirit.  A  deep 
plunge,  a  discordant  yell  of  defeated  malice  that 
rang  sharp  and  high  above  the  roar  of  the  cataract, 
and  then,  far  down  amid  the  boiling  waters  of  the 
torrent,  I  beheld  for  one  moment  the  form  of  the 
Arch-fiend  himself,  as  I  had  beheld  it  in  succinct 
dress  arid  taperingly  feathered  student's  cap  on  the 
Brocken,  one  wild  and  well-remembered  night. 

"  On  KarPs  overtaking  me,  his  blanched  lips  and 
pallid  cheeks  plainly  betokened  the  awful  struggle 
he  had  lately  undergone  ;  but  his  eyes  sparkled  with 
a  triumphant  lustre  that  equally  betokened  his  sense 
of  conquest,  and  determined  me  to  make  no  allusion 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  285 

to  the  interview  I  had  witnessed,  or  the  disappear- 
ance of  the  mysterious  stranger. 

"  Singularly  enough,  when  Leopold  rejoined  us, 
he  also  avoided  all  mention  of  our  late  travelling 
companion.  As  his  presence  had  been  unsolicited, 
so  his  absence  was  unnoticed,  and  we  all  seemed  to 
be  contented  with  the  relief  afforded  by  his  with- 
drawal from  our  society,  without  indulging  in  any 
comment.  But  in  my  own  heart  I  could  not  help 
congratulating  myself  on  the  proof  I  had  thus  ob- 
tained of  Karl's  having  thrown  off  all  subjugation  to 
the  influence  of  the  fiend  ;  I  could  not  but  rejoice  to 
find  he  had  escaped  the  v  snares  of  temptation,  and 
that  henceforth  he  was  able  to  protect  himself.  I 
resolved,  therefore,  that  when  we  should  reach  Italy, 
if  an  opportunity  offered  of  my  going  to  sea,  I  would 
relinquish  the  further  guidance  of  my  young  friends 
by  providing  Karl  with  the  promised  sum,  and  des- 
patching him  and  Leopold  on  their  short  journey  to 
Rome.  We  arrived  in  Genoa  without  further  adven- 
ture, and,  after  I  had  converted  my  diamonds  into 
money,  which  I  did  very  advantageously,  I  divided 
my  little  fortune  into  what  I  considered  due  propor- 
tions, giving  the  major  part  to  Karl,  and  reserving 
the  remainder  for  Titta's  mother.  We  spent  a  few 
da^s  in  this  beautiful  city,  that  my  two  young  com- 
panions might  enjoy  some  rest  after  our  long  journey  ; 
and,  in  order  that  I  might  give  them  a  little  treat  be- 
fore we  parted  company,  I  offered  to  take  them  to  the 
Carlo  Felice  Theatre,  where  there  was  an  opera  per 
forming,  in  which  the  part  of  the  prima  donna  was 
supported  by  a  young  English  singer,  then  in  the 


286          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

zenith  of  her  fame,  and  turning  the  heads  of  all  the 
Italians. 

"  Before  we  went  to  the  Carlo  Felice,  we  were  all 
three  taking  a  turn  upon  the  Corso,  when  an  -English 
carriage  rolled  by,  in  which  I  beheld  a  fair  face  that 
attracted  my  attention  from  its  unaffected  beauty 
and  candid  expression.  Such  is  the  force  of  preju- 
dice, which  commonly  attaches  a  stigma  to  the  name 
of  actress,  that  I  felt  astonished  when  some  one  near 
me  exclaimed,  '  That  is  Anastasia,  the  English 
prima  donna.7  On  the  carriage  repassing  me,  which 
it  did  on  coming  round  the  Corso  again,  I  once  more 
raised  my  eyes  to  the  countenance  of  my  fair  country- 
woman, and  in  my  heart  asked  pardon  for  the  insult 
I  had  tacitly  offered  her  in  fancying  that  because  a 
woman  is  an  actress  her  reputation  must  be  injured, 
and  in  wondering  to  see  her  look  good  and  pure. 
Whether  my  face  bore  the  expression  of  what  I  felt 
I  know  not ;  but  certain  it  is  that  the  lady  looked 
earnestly  upon  me,  and  did  not  withdraw  her  eyes 
from  me  until  the  carriage  had  borne  her  past  the 
spot  where  I  and  my  companions  stood.  Fame  had 
not  exaggerated  her  talent ;  for  in  the  evening  we 
were  entranced  by  the  beauty  of  her  singing,  and 
the  magic  power  of  her  acting.  Karl  and  I  agreed 
that  her  voice  excelled  even  Barbara's  in  rich  sweet- 
ness and  volume  of  tone,  while  her  artistic  cultiva- 
tion rendered  her  singing  infinitely  superior.  As  for 
Leopold,  he  was  perfectly  enchanted.  During  the 
first  act  of  the  opera  he  was  in  a  state  of  ecstasy, 
and  while  the  divertissement  (as  they  call  the  short 
dance  which  they  give  between  the  acts)  occupied 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  287 

the  stage  ne  deigned  not  to  glance  towards  it ;  when 
the  opera  was  concluded,  he  started  up,  and  quitted 
the  theatre,  declaring  he  could  not  drag  down  his 
thoughts,  exalted  to  the  seventh  heaven  by  music,  to 
the  frivolous  region  of  dancing,  ballet,  and  panto- 
mime, and  left  Karl  and  me  to  stay  by  ourselves. 
Just  as  we  also  were  quitting  the  theatre,  when  the 
performances  were  all  over,  a  girl  darted  through  the 
crowd,  and,  seizing  my  wrist,  said,  '  Follow  me  ! ; 
I  hesitated ;  but  she  repeated  more  earnestly,  '  Fol- 
low me,  I  tell  you ;  the  Signora  Anastasia  wants  to 
say  something  to  you  of  importance.7 

"  Curious  to  learn  what  this  could  mean,  I  bade 
Karl  hasten  to  our  lodging,  and  sup  with  Leopold 
without  waiting  for  me,  as  I  might  be  detained  ;  then, 
following  my  conductress,  she  led  me  through  the 
stage-door,  along  some  dark  passages,  up  some  stairs, 
down  others,  across  another  passage,  at  the  end  of 
which  I  beheld  a  glimpse  of  the  stage,  the  canvas 
backs  and  wooden  frames  of  the  side-scenes,  and 
some  half-extinguished  lamps ;  then  up  some  more 
steps,  where  there  was  an  open  doorway  screened  by 
a  dark  curtain  of  maroon  baize.  This  curtain  was 
drawn  aside  by  my  conductress,  and  she  ushered  me 
into  ^  room,  bidding  me  wait  there  until  the  Signora 
Anastasia  came  to  tell  me  what  she  had  to  say,  and 
then  vanished  without  another  word.  I  stood  pa- 
tiently for  some  time,  expecting  the  approach  of  the 
prima  donna  in  this  apartment,  which  I  supposed 
was  her  dressing-room.  Wax  candles  stood  lighted 
upon  a  handsome  toilet-table,  strewed  with  all  sorts 
of  elegant  knick-knacks,  such  as  scent-bottles,  cas- 


288          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

kets  of  jewelry,  rouge-jars,  a  fan,  a  plume  of  feathers, 
heaps  of  bouquets,  half-opened  notes,  verses,  a  tiara, 
a  spangled  veil,  and  a  mask.  The  floor,  too,  was 
littered  with  various  objects  :  here  lay  a  white  satin 
slipper ;  there,  a  hastily  drawn-off  silk  stocking ; 
*  trailing  from  the  tall  dressing-glass,  a  crimson  velvet 
robe  spread  its  ample  ermined  folds,  and  on  a  sofa 
was  flung  a  black  mantle,  worn  for  disguise  in  the 
first  scene.  But  when  I  had  looked  at  all  these  scat- 
tered indications  of  Anastasia's  profession,  and  had 
amused  myself  in  recalling  how  I  had  seen  them 
make  their  appearance  on  the  stage  that  evening, 
these  thoughts  then  recurring  more  than  twice  in 
succession,  I  began  to  wonder  that  Anastasia  did 
not  come,  and  also  to  indulge  a  suspicion  that  there 
must  be  some  mistake  or  some  caprice.  This  latter 
notion  was  confirmed  soon  after  by  a  man  coming 
through  the  passages,  in  making  his  round  of  the 
theatre,  to  see  that  all  the  lights  were  properly  put 
out ;  and  by  his  exclaiming  : 

"  '  That  careless  wench,  Laura,  has  never  put 
away  the  prima  donna's  things, —  and  here  are  the 
candles  still  in.  And  — why,  what  do  you  do  here  ? ' 
added  he,  addressing  me,  astonished  to  find  a  stran- 
ger there. 

"  I  explained,  by  telling  him  how  I  had  been  sent 
for,  and  asking  him  if  he  knew  where  the  Signora 
Anastasia  was. 

"  '  Why,  gone,  to  be  sure  ;  gone,  long  ago  ;  her 
carriage  drove  off  more  than  three  quarters  of  an 
hour  since.7 

"  I  was  quite  puzzled,  and  left  the  theatre,  won- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  289 

licring1  what  could  have  induced  the  mistake ;  but 
when  I  ~arrived  at  our  lodging  all  other  thoughts 
were  driven  out  of  my  head  by  finding  Karl  in  great 
anxiety  about  his  friend  Leopold,  who  had  never 
returned  there  at  all  after  the  opera.  It  was  now 
late,  and  I  could  only  conclude  that,  in  his  musical 
rapture,  he  had  missed  his  way,  and  was  probably 
wandering  about  the  streets  in  search  of  our  lodging. 
Karl  and  I  set  forth  immediately,  in  hopes  of  meet- 
ing him  ;  but  we  spent  several  hours  in  vainly  wan- 
dering up  and  down,  for  no  trace  of  the  youth  could 
we  find.  The  first  thing  next  morning,  just  as  we 
were  about  to  resume  our  fruitless  quest,  a  note  was 
put  into  my  hands  from  Leopold.  It  contained  but 
a  few  hurried  words,  begging  me  to  come  to  him 
immediately  in  the  prison,  where  he  had  been  thrown 
within  the  last  few  hours  by  his  own  indiscretion. 
We  hastened  to  him  immediately,  and  found  that  the 
poor  youth,  on  quitting  the  theatre  in  a  state  of 
musical  excitement,  which,  in  his  sensitive  German 
nature,  bordered  on  intoxication,  was  met  by  a  party 
of  young  fellows,  who  had  induced  him -to  go  with 
them  to  a  neighboring  Casino  to  finish  the  night. 
Here  he  had  been  led  on  to  play  high,  and  had  ended 
by  staking  more  than  all  he  possessed  in  the  world — 
more  than  the  sum  devoted  to  defray  his  expenses  at 
Eome.  Words  had  passed, —  a  blow  been  given, —  a 
fine  exacted  ;  unable  to  pay  which,  Leopold  had  been 
at  once  thrown  into  prison ;  and  he  had  sent  to  me, 
knowing  he  could  rely  upon  me  for  advice  and 
assistance.  '  I  know,  Kit/  he  concluded,  '  that  I  can 
have  twice  the  money  at  any  time  from  my  indulgent 
19 


290          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

parents,  by  writing  to  them  for  it ;  but  think  of  the 
shame,  the  deep  disgrace,  of  letting  them  know  that 
their  son  has  not  strength  of  mind  sufficient  to  pre- 
vent him  from  risking  the  very  sum  which  was  to 
enable  him  to  attain  the  highest  aim  he  had  —  that 
of  perfecting  himself  in  a  noble  art !  Unworthy,  de- 
graded wretch  that  I  am  !  A  gambler  !  —  a  night- 
brawler  !  But  listen  to  me,  Kit,  while  I  here  take  a 
solemn  oath  never,  never,  while  I  live,  to  touch  card 
or  dice-box  more.7 

' '  '  Fatal  cards  !  fatal  dice  !  the  bane  of  all  that  is 
worthy  or  noble  in  man  !  Well  do  you  to  abjure 
them,  good  youth  ! '  cried  a  voice  near  us. 

"  It  was  that  of  a  young  man,  a  fellow-prisoner  of 
Leopold's ;  but  I  had  not  noticed  him  when  first  I 
entered  the  cell.  He  was  extremely  handsome,  but 
so  wan  and  thin,  and  his  eyes"  looked  so  hollow,  and 
shone  with  so  wild  a  fire,  that  I  felt  at  once  interested 
in  him ;  and,  as  soon  as  I  had  consoled  Leopold  as 
well  as  I  could,  by  assuring  him  that  means  should 
be  taken  to  secure  his  freedom,  I  entered  into  con- 
versation with  this  young  stranger,  arid  found  that 
his  story  was  indeed  a  sad  one.  He  was  an  English- 
man, the  son  of  a  man  richly  connected,  but  who 
had  speculated  largely,  and  had  died  suddenly  on 
the  failure  of  his  hopes,  leaving  his  widow  and  son 
totally  unprovided  for.  The  poor  widow,  anxious, 
nevertheless,  to  secure  for  her  son  the  advantages  of 
foreign  travel,  had  solicited  the  requisite  sum  from 
her  friends,  and  had  sent  him  abroad  inadequately 
informed  of  the  real  state  of  their  affairs.  The 
young  man,  unaccustomed  to  consider  the  true  value 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  291 

of  money,  and  reared  in  expensive  habits,  had  been 
unable  to  withstand  the  temptations  of  the  gaming- 
table, and  had,  on  arriving  in  Genoa,  not  only  staked 
and  lost  all  the  money  he  possessed,  but  had  incurred 
other  debts  for  worthless  toys  arid  extravagant  fol- 
lies, and  had  been  thrown  into  prison  for  the  amount. 
But  when  he  at  length  summoned  courage  to  write 
to  England  for  remittances,  he  had  received  a  harsh, 
abrupt  reply  from  his  rich  relations,  informing  him 
that  his  mother  was  dead,  and  that,  for  their  part, 
they  never  desired  to  see  so  wicked  a  reprobate 
more. 

"  '  I  have  often  taken  comfort  in  the  thought/  said 
he,  in  conclusion,  '  that  the  blow  which  then  struck 
me  to  the  heart  was  my  death-blow.  But  there  are 
times  when  I  could  wish  that  I  might  be  once  more 
permitted  to  breathe  the  fresh  air  of  heaven,  and  be  . 
granted  a  short  period  of  probation  on  earth  to 
redeem  my  former  guilt.' 

"  His  fine  eyes  flashed  eagerly  as  he  spoke  of 
liberty,  and  his  wan  cheek  burnt  with  one  bright 
spot,  that  made  me  long  to  bestow  fresh  air  and  free- 
dom upon  one  who  seemed  too  sorely  punished  for  a 
youthful  error  that  he  pined  to  expiate  by  reforma- 
tion ;  but  I  found,  on  selling  my  ring  containing  the 
rubies  and  opals,  that  it  would  produce  no  more  than 
just  sufficient  to  free  Leopold  from  his  debt,  to  pay 
.  his  fine,  and  to  reinstate  the  sum  for  his  sojourn  in 
Rome.  I  resolved,  however,  to  persuade  him  to 
write  to  his  parents,  telling  them  the  whole  truth,  as 
a  salutary  lesson  to  him  for  the  future,  as  well  as  a 
retribution  for  his  past  error ;  and  I  meant  to  beg 


292          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

him  to  devote  the  sum  they  should  send  him  to  the 
aid  of  the  poor  young  Englishman,  his  fellow-pris- 
oner, whose  name,  I  learned,  was  Sydney  Vincent. 

"  As  I  was*  revolving  these  thoughts,  on  my  way 
from  the  jeweller  to  whom  I  had  sold  the  ring,  a 
grave  old  gentlewoman  accosted  me,  and  asked  me 
if  I  were  not  the  English  sailor  who  had  been  re- 
quested to  attend  the  Sigriora  Anastasia  in  her  dress- 
ing-room on  the  previous  evening.  I  answered  in 
the  affirmative,  arid  she  replied  by  requesting  I  would 
now  favor  the  signora  by  going  to  her  own  house, 
and  that  she  would  then  explain  how  it  was  that  I 
had  been  so  uncourteously  detained  before.  The  old 
gentlewoman  —  who  proved  to  be  duenna  or  lady- 
companion  to  Anastasia  —  then  beckoned  me  to  ac- 
company her  ;  and  I,  secure  that  so  grave  a  person- 
age as  this  old  lady  could  be  no  party  to  what  I  had 
by  this  time  almost  been  inclined  to  believe  was  a 
sort  of  trick,  followed  her  through  the  town,  till  we 
came  to  a  handsome  villa,  surrounded  by  terraces  of 
orange,  citron,  pomegranate,  and  olive  trees,  among 
which  bloomed  a  profusion  of  roses  and  other  flowers. 
In  a  cool  shady  apartment,  overlooking  the  gardens, 
sat  Anastasia,  who  received  me  with  a  graceful  apol- 
ogy for  having  caused  me  to  wait  so  long  last  even- 
ing expecting  her. 

"  '  It  was  owing  to  a  mistake  of  the  poor  little 
dresser,  Laura,  who  attended  me  last  night  in  the 
absence  of  my  own  maid/  said  she  ;  '  and  I  am  sure 
you  will  forgive  the  heedless  monkey,  as  I  did  my- 
self for  the  many  blunders  she  made  in  robing  me  ; 
for,  the  truth  is,  her  poor  little  head  and  heart  were 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER. 

all  the  time  occupied  by  thoughts  of  her  mother,  who 
is  lying  dangerously  ill.  The  Italians  are  famous 
for  their  filial  attachment  and  loving  care  of  their 
parents ;  and  I  have  seen  instances  of  this  grateful 
affection,  as  well  as  of  other  kinds  of  self-denial  and 
devotion  to  duty,  among  the  poor  dancers  and  cho- 
rus-girls, that  would  do  honor  to  many  a  high-born 
young  lady.  Our  profession  is  sadly  belied  ;  it  pos- 
sesses brave  and  charitable  hearts,  with  often  a  con- 
stancy in  goodness  perfectly  marvellous,  when  we 
consider  to  what  temptations  its  members  are  pecu- 
liarly exposed,  and  by  which  they  are  generally  sur- 
rounded and  assailed.  However,  I  must  not  allow 
myself  to  be  run  away  with  by  a  theme  on  which  I 
own  I  feel  somewhat  warmly ^when  I  reflect  upon 
the  injustice  that  is  frequently  done  us  actresses  and 
singers/ 

"  I  felt  myself  unconsciously  rebuked  as  Anas- 
tasia  said  this,  for  I  recollected  the  thoughts  I  had 
allowed  myself  to  entertain  yesterday,  when  she 
passed  me  for  the  first  time.  But  she  went  on  to 
say  : 

"'I  have  sent  to  request  your  assistance  in  an 
affair  of  some  delicacy,  sir  ;  for  I  have  no  friend  here 
with  whom  I  could  intrust  its  execution,  and,  seeing 
a  countryman  of  mine,  with  a  countenance  whose 
frankness  and  pleasant  open  look  warranted  my  con- 
fidence, I  ventured  to  ask  him  to  undertake  the  mat- 
ter for  me,  secure  of  his  kind  help/  I  bowed,  and 
she  continued  :  '  It  is  this  :  I  went  yesterday  morn- 
ing, with  a  party  of  Italian  friends,  to  visit  the  prison 
here,  as  one  of  the  lions  of  the  city,  when  I  was 


294          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

struck  with  the  appearance  of  a  young  Englishman 
there,  who  interested  me  peculiarly.  He  gave  me 
the  idea  of  a  chained  eagle,  —  of  one  who  longed  to 
soar  in  mid-air,  but  who  was  fettered  to  earth,  and 
who  was  pining  to  death  for  lack  of  sunshine  and 
liberty.  I  inquired  his  history,  and  found  that  it 
confirmed  my  idea.  For  a  miserable  sum,  —  a  few 
trifling  hundreds,  such  as  are  thrown  away  frequently 
by  the  hand  of  vice  or  folly  upon  a  shawl  or  a  brace- 
let,— this  noble-looking  being  is  to  waste  hopelessly 
away  in  despairing  inaction,  instead  of  being  re- 
stored to  light  and  life  and  liberty,  and,  what  is  still 
dearer,  the  chance  of  redemption  from  a  sense  of  past 
error  by  a  virtuous  future.7 

"  '  You  mean  Sydney  Vincent/  I  cried,  interrupt- 
ing her ;  and  then  I  explained  how  I  came  to  know 
him,  and  how  fully  I  shared  her  sympathy  for  the 
unhappy  youfrg  man,  as  well  as  her  anxiety  that  he 
should  be  ransomed. 

"  '  It  is  for  this  very  purpose  that  I  sent  to  request 
your  assistance/  said  Anastasia,  eagerly.  '  Take 
this  purse  ;  it  contains  the  amount  of  my  poor  coun- 
tryman's debt.  Pay  it,  and  set  him  free  ;  but  give 
me  your  solemn  promise  that  you  will  never  divulge 
to  Vincent  himself,  or  to  any  living  soul,  who  it  was 
that  furnished  his  ransom-money.  I  have  a  particu- 
lar reason  for  this  ;  nay,  why  should  I  hesitate  to 
tell  you  at  once  what  it  is,  that  you  may  guard  my 
secret  all  the  more  carefully.  The  fact  is,  then, 
there  is  such  a  prejudice  against  all  we  actresses  do, 
that,  were  it  known  I  had  given  a  few  hundred 
pounds  to  redeem  a  prisoner,  and  that  prisoner  a 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  295 

handsome  young  man,  poor  Anastasia  would  very 
probably  lose  her  character ;  it  would  be  said  that 
his  fine  eyes  and  hair,  his  graceful  figure  and  intel- 
lectual head,  had  been  the  motives  of  her  compas- 
sion, but  that,  had  he  been  an  ugly  old  man,  and 
fifty  times  her  countryman,  she  would  have  left  him 
to  rot  in  jail  long  enough.  Be  secret,  then,  arid 
fulfil  my  commission  faithfully,  and  as  speedily  as 
you  possibly  can ;  I  know  you  long,  as  I  do,  to  set 
him  free.7 

"I  hastened  at  once  to  the  prison,  and  enjoyed 
the  delight  of  bringing  away  with  me  not  only  Leo- 
pold, but  the  young  Englishman,  Sydney  Vincent, 
who  could  scarcely  credit  his  senses  when  I  told  him 
he  was  free,  and  that  I  begged  him  to  accompany  us 
from  that  den  of  misery.  He  looked  so  radiant  with 
joy,  and  even  his  naturally  very  handsome  features 
were  so  embellished  by  happiness  and  the  rapturous 
thought  of  liberty,  that  I  could  not  help  a  moment's 
wonder  crossing  my  mind  whether  Anastasia  really 
did  love  this  handsome  Englishman,  after  all ;  though 
I  checked  myself  for  it  the  next  instant,  as  an  injus- 
tice to  the  candor  with  which  she  had  treated  me. 

"I  soon  had  convincing  proof  that  her  liberality 
had  been  inspired  by  no  personal  liking,  but  from  a 
pure  motive  of  charity  and  tender  sympathy  for  an 
unfortunate  captive,  deprived  of  the  dearest  privilege 
to  an  English  bosom  —  freedom;  for  I  learned  that 
very  day  that  she  was  on  the  eve  of  marriage  with 
a  young  Italian  nobleman.  After  I  had  seen  my 
two  friends  Karl  and  Leopold  off  on  *  their  journey 
to  Rome,  and  bade  adieu  to  young  Vincent,  who 


296  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

made  many  ineffectual  attempts  to  urge  me  to  reveal 
to  him  who  was  the  benefactor  that  advanced  the 
sum  for  his  release,  I  repaired  to  Anastasia's  house, 
to  inform  her  of  his  delivery,  of  his  happiness,  and 
of  his  departure  from  Genoa  in  new  life  and  hope. 

"  Even  had  I  not  heard  the  fact  of  her  approach- 
ing marriage,  her  manner  when  I  told  her  of  the 
young  Englishman's  departure  would  have  con- 
vinced me  she  merely  thought  of  him  with  kindness 
and  compassion,  for  she  thanked  me  heartily  and 
unconstrainedly  for  the  way  in  which  I  had  con- 
ducted the  affair  for  her. 

"  '  I  know  you  have  yourself  found  too  much  pleas- 
ure in  the  execution  of  my  wishes,  and  the  release  of 
one  of  our  countrymen,  for  me  to  offer  you  any  token 
of  my  gratitude,  kind  friend/  she  said,  gracefully, 
and  going  to  her  instrument  as  she  spoke ;  '  but  per 
haps  you  will  let  me  sing  you  something  you  will 
like,  as  a  farewell  from  Anastasia.7 

11  She  sat  down  and  played  an  affecting  strain  of 
mingled  pity  and  hope,  descriptive  of  some  victim's 
release,  —  I  believe  it  was  a  composition  of  HaridePs, 
—  which  moved  me  so  powerfully  that  when  her 
voice  swelled  and  diminished  in  a  divine  close,  I 
could  not  speak,  but  remained  motionless,  and  could 
not  even  offer  her  thanks. 

"  She  gently  approached,  and,  pressing  my  hand 
cordially  and  kindly  between  both  hers,  smiled,  and 
said  :  '  Do  not  speak  ;  your  silence  is  the  best  hom- 
age my  song  can  have.  Farewell !  God  bless  you. 
I  shall  ever  remember  with  gratitude  the  help  which 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  297 

the  friendly  English  mariner  afforded  his  country- 
woman, the  singer/ 

"  When  I  left  Anastasia's  house  I  found  it  was  still 
early  in  the  day ;  so,  after  dining,  I  set  forth  on  my 
long-intended  visit  to  the  hut  among  the  hills,  de- 
scribed to  me  by  poor  Titta,  the  cabin-boy.  I  had 
no  difficulty  in  finding  the  exact  spot,  his  remem- 
brance had  lingered  .so  fondly  around  it,  arid  had 
enabled  him  to  depict  it  so  faithfully;  but  I  slack- 
ened my  steps  as  I  approached  the  cottage-door,  for 
I  knew  that  I  had  a  sad  tale  to  tell,  and  dreaded  the 
task  of  informing  a  mother  of  her  son's  death.  But 
I  at  length  entered,  and  saw  a  poor  woman  sitting 
placidly  in  a  wooden  arm-chair,  whose  fixed  eyes, 
and  melancholy,  patient  look,  told  me  that  she  was 
blind.  Her  sense  of  hearing,  however,  was  suf- 
ficiently acute,  for  she  heard  my  approach,  and  said  : 

"  '  A  stranger's  step  !  What  do  you  want  ?  Are 
you  come  to  bring  me  the  news  I  have  so  long  ex- 
pected ? ' 

"  '  What  news,  good  mother?'  I  asked,  as  I  ap- 
proached and  took  her  hand. 

"  '  The  tidings  of  my  son's  death,  of  my  poor 
Titta's  death  ;  for  too  well  do  I  know  he  is  dead,  — 
he  is  drowned,  I  know  it ;  is  he  not  ?  '  said  she,  in  a 
calm,  resigned  tone. 

"  '  Alas  !  good  mother,  it  is  too  true,'  replied  I ; 
'  but  I  arn  one  of  poor  Titta's  shipmates  ;  I  knew 
him,  and  loved  him ;  and  he  bade  me,  if  I  lived  to 
reach  Jilur ope,  come  to  Genoa  and  find  you  out,  and 
give  you  the  sum  he  had  hoarded  for  his  dear  mother 
and  sister.  liere  it  is.  Where  is  his  sister,  whom 


298          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

he  so  dearly  loved  —  where  is  Peppina  ?' asked  I, 
willing  to  divert  the  poor  woman's  thoughts  from 
the  circumstance  of  her  son's  death,  of  which,  how- 
ever, I  wondered  to  find  her  so  well  assured. 

"  '  Peppina  is  married  to  her  lover,  Gianni,  the 
goatherd/  answered  Titta's  mother;  '  for,  after  a 
time,  his  rich  old  father  relented,  and  permitted  the 
union  of  the  young  people,  when  he  found  that 
Gianni  could  not  be  happy  without  her ;  they  come 
to  see  me  often,  and  bring  my  little  grandchild,  the 
baby  they  have  lately  had,  that  I  may  kiss  its  soft 
cheeks,  and  touch  its  dimpled  hands,  and  give  it  my 
blessing ;  they  have  called  it  after  our  poor  lost 
Titta,  too  ;  so  that  when  I  knew  too  surely  that  he 
was  drowned,  I  had  this  new  little  cherub  to  love, 
as  well  as  my  angel-boy  that  is  gone  to  heaven.7 

"  '  How  did  you  know  so  surely  that  Titta  was 
drowned  ?  '  asked  I,  seeing  that  she  spoke  so  calmly. 

"  '  Before  the  fatal  thunder-storm  that  came  one 
evening  among  our  hills,  and  struck  the  light  for- 
ever from  these  eyes/  replied  the  blind  woman,  '  I 
saw  my  poor  Titta' s  figure  several  times.  I  knew  it 
was  his  apparition,  come  to  warn  me  of  his  death ; 
and,  the  first  time  I  beheld  it,  I  felt  afraid,  and  sore 
distressed  ;  but,  by  degrees,  I  became  accustomed  to 
the  truth,  and  I  felt  as  if  it  were  a  blessed  visitation 
sent  by  Heaven  to  soften  the  grief  of  a  mother's 
heart,  and  wean  her  from  the  idea  of  a  living  son.  I 
learned  to  welcome  the  figure  of  my  poor  drowned 
Titta,  and  to  watch  for  its  appearance  by  the  side  of 
my  arm-chair  in  the  summer  evenings  ;  and,  after  I 
was  struck  with  blindness,  and  could  no  longer  look 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER,  299 

upon  the  form  I  had  loved  so  well  living,  and  cher- 
ished so  tenderly  still,  yet  I  often  knew  that  it 
hovered  near,  and  I  frequently  feel  that  it  is  close 
beside  my  arm-chair,  while  I  console  myself  with  the 
thought  that  his  blest  spirit  is  among  the  angels 
before  the  throne  of  God/ 

11 1  raised  my  eyes  involuntarily  as  she  spoke,  and 
there,  behind  her  chair,  I  beheld  the  well-known 
figure  of  poor  Titta,  gazing  upon  me  with  happy 
eyes  and  a  serene  smile, —  how  different  from  the 
expression  his  face  had  worn  that  night  I  had  seen 
him  last,  when  he  poured  forth  the  writhings  of  his 
wounded  heart !  I  suppose  I  uttered  some  exclama- 
tion of  surprise  and  awe  ;  for  the  blind  woman  said  : 

"  '  You  see  him,  do  you,  sir  ?  I  knew  he  must  be 
near  ;  tell  me  how  my  boy  looks/ 

"  '  Happy  arid  peaceful,  as  a  blessed  spirit  should 
look/  I  whispered,  sinking  to  my  knee,  and  joining 
in  the  thanksgiving  which  was  breathed  by  the  be- 
reaved but  resigned  mother. 

"  I  remained  some  time  with  her,  talking  in  a 
cheerful  strain,  when  we  had  each  recovered  our- 
selves from  the  solemn  feeling  that  possessed  us  for 
some  time  after  the  vision  had  departed  ;  and  then 
she  set  milk  and  fruit  before  me,  and  thanked  me 
earnestly  for  my  coming  so  far  to  bring  her  the 
legacy  of  her  beloved  son,  rendering  her  old  age 
comfortable  and  contented  through  his  means.  I  left 
her,  at  length,  with  the  pleasant  conviction  of  her 
complete  resignation  and  calm  happiness,  and  pur- 
sued my  moonlight  path  towards  Genoa  ;  for  evening 
had  now  quite  closed  in.  My  road  wound  through 


300  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

a  solitary  valley  that  lay  beneath  the  hills,  arid  I 
soon  approached  a  lone  and  dismantled  house  that  I 
had  noticed  on  my  way  hither,  and  which  looked  as 
if  it  had  been  a  country  palace,  belonging  to  one  of 
the  noble  Genoese  families  in  former  times.  1  had 
inquired  its  history  of  Titta's  mother  when  I  was 
chatting  with  her  on  indifferent  subjects,  and  found 
that  it  had  the  reputation  of  being  haunted. 

"  It  had  been,  once  upon  a  time,  in  the  possession 
of  a  certain  Count  Giulio,  who  was  a  renowned 
Genoese  warrior,  and  who  possessed  a  very  beautiful 
wife,  of  whom  he  was  frightfully  jealous, —  so  jealous 
that  he  had  put  her  to  death  on  bare  suspicion  of  her 
infidelity.  So  ran  the  legend,  however ;  and  the 
blind  woman  added,  that  it  was  said  he  had  caused 
a  beautiful  full-length  picture  to  be  painted  of  his 
lovely  countess  ;  that  after  his  death  a  marble  statue 
had  been  sculptured  of  the  warrior  by  order  of  his 
successor,  and  that  both  picture  and  statue  were 
still  to  be  seen  in  that  old  deserted  palace,  though  it 
had  been  left  to  go  to  ruin  by  the  descendants  of 
the  family,  who  had  seen  strange  sights,  and  heard 
strange  noises,  which  had  induced  them  to  live  there 
no  longer. 

"  I  thought  over  all  these  things  I  had  so  lately 
heard,  as  I  stood  gazing  on  the  grass-grown  and 
moss-patched  steps  that  led  to  the  front  entrance 
of  the  dilapidated  mansion,  and  wished  that  I  could 
obtain  a  sight  of  the  picture,  at  least,  as  the  countess 
had  been  such  a  celebrated  beauty.  But  the  hall- 
door  resisted  all  attempts  I  made  to  open  it,  and  I 
was  retreating  disappointed,  when  I  perceived  a  little 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  301 

side-entrance,  which  I  hoped  would  afford  the  means 
of  my  gaining  admission. 

"  It  proved  just  as  I  could  have  wished  ;  the  little 
door  opened  readily,  and  I  found  myself  in  a  narrow 
passage,  at  the  end  of  which  there  was  a  winding 
stair.  I  went  forward  and  ascended,  till  I  found 
another  door,  which  was  covered  with  tapestry  on 
the  inside.  I  raised  the  drapery,  and  found  myself 
in  a  large,  well-furnished  study,  but  the  books  were 
mouldering  on  the  shelves,  the  tapestry  hung  in  rags 
from  the  walls  in  many  places,  the  tables  and  chairs 
were  covered  with  dust,  which  looked  like  tl^e  accu- 
mulation of  centuries ;  and  a  pair  of  globes,  that 
stood  near  the  window,  might  once  have  served 
Galileo,  I  thought,  had  they  then  been  invented. 
But  my  eye  suddenly  fell  upon  a  full-length  picture, 
which  soon  riveted  all  my  attention.  It  represented 
a  young  and  surpassingly  beautiful  woman,  attired 
in  the  old  Genoese  costume,  and  whose  charms  of 
face  and  figure  fully  warranted  the  fame  which  had 
spread  of  her  lovely  person  ;  for  I  could  not  an 
instant  doubt  but  that  this  was  the  countess'  picture, 
of  which  I  had  heard  so  much.  As  I  gazed  upon 
those  pencilled  brows,  those  soft,  full  eyes,  languish- 
ing beneath  their  dark  lashes,  those  expressive  lips, 
and  upon  the  graceful  proportions  of  the  form,  that- 
accorded  so  well  with  a  face  of  such  rare  beauty,  I 
wondered  whether  any  torture  of  doubt  as  to  the 
truth  of  such  a  creature  ought  to  lead  a  man  to  cher- 
ish so  mean,  so  blind  a  passion  as  jealousy.  True,  it 
must  be  a  pang  unutterable  to  see  those  gentle  eyes 
turn  more  lovingly,  those  sweet  lips  smile  more 


302  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

kindly,  on  another  than  her  husband ;  but  ought  he 
not  to  seek  carefully,  lest  there  should  exist  some 
defect  in  himself,  some  want  of  sufficient  worth  or 
quality  on  his  own  part  to  inspire  love,  rather  than 
to  suspect  her  of  levity  and  faithlessness  towards 
him  ? 

"  '  And  could  he  have  the  heart  to  kill  her  ? '  mur- 
mured I,  unconsciously,  aloud  ;  '  could  jealousy  be 
so  mad,  so-cruel  ?  7 

"  As  I  spoke,  the  canvas  waved  slightly,  as  if  the 
lady  painted  there  had  shuddered  convulsively  ;  and, 
while  I  fixed  my  eyes  in  amazement  on  the  picture, 
I  beheld  the  beauteous  figure  of  the  countess  detach 
itself,  and  glide  away  through  an  opposite  door.  I 
sprang  after  the  receding  form,  and  found  myself  in 
darkness,  while  the  door  through  which  I  had  rushed 
closed  after  me  instantly,  with  a  noise  like  that  of  a 
spring-lock  snapping  to.  I  groped  my  way  forwards 
a  pace  or  two,  when  I  felt  my  extended  hand  firmly 
seized  by  a  cold  marble  grasp,  that  I  could  by  no 
effort  shake  off.  I  put  forth  my  other  hand,  that  I 
might  ascertain  what  it  was  that  held  me,  and  I 
could  not  help  a  sickening  shiver  as  I  plainly  felt 
marble  fingers  clasping  round  my  own  living  ones  ; 
and  then  a  wrist  and  an  arm  as  far  as  I  could  reach, 
convincing  me  that  I  was  fast  within  the  clutch  of  a 
statue  !  At  that  moment  a  loose  outside  blind  of 
the  dilapidated  mansion  flapped  back  in  the  night- 
breeze,  and  by  the  rays  of  the  moon  that  streamed 
through  the  casement  I  discovered  that  I  was  in  a 
large  hall  hung  round  with  grim  ancestral  portraits, 
that  frowned  upon  me  as  I  stood  there  in  the  grasp 


THE  MARBLE  COUNT. 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  303 

of  their  descendant.  I  turned  my  eyes  towards  this 
descendant  himself,  arid  found  that  it  was  indeed  the 
statue  of  Count  Giulio,  just  as  I  had  heard  it  de- 
scribed. It  was  that  of  a  tall,  portly  man,  in  warrior 
attire ;  his  countenance  was  stern,  and  looked  doubly 
cold  and  inflexible  in  the  pale  moonbeams  that  lay 
full  upon  it ;  his  left  hand  rested  upon  the  hilt  of  his 
undrawn  sword,  and  his  right  griped  my  unfortunate 
wrist,  keeping  rne  rooted  to  the  spot. 

"  I  trembled  to  think  of  the  horrible  fate  I  must 
endure,  detained  prisoner  thus,  to  starve  gradually, 
and  perish  alone  in  a  dismal  place,  abandoned  by  my 
fellow-men,  and  in  the  power  of  this  ghastly  being ; 
but  soon  I  made  an  effort  to  shake  off  the  terror  that 
hejd  me  spell-bound  almost  as  •  much  as  the  marble 
grasp,  and  cast  about  in  my  mind  for  means  to  free 
myself,  if  possible.  I  writhed  and  twisted  my  hand 
to  no  purpose.  I  could  not  withdraw  it  from  the 
cold  fingers  that  maintained  so  strict  a  clasp  ;  my 
contortions  but  served  to  strain  my  arm  and  exhaust 
my  strength.  Suddenly  a  bold  thought  came  into 
my  head,  as  I  perceived  a  group  of  ancient  arms, 
among  which  was  a  heavy  battle-axe,  lying  not  far 
from  me  ;  and,  stretching  myself  out  as  far  as  I 
could  to  reach  it,  I  succeeded  in  seizing  the  weapon, 
exclaiming,  as  I  wielded  it  on  high,  (  I  will  be  con- 
tented to  wear  a  marble  bracelet  for  the  remainder 
of  my  days,  if  I  can  but  mash  Signer  Count  GiuhVs 
wrist  off,  in  return  for  his  squeezing  mine  so  tight/ 
But  ere  the  battle-axe  could  descend  with  the  heavy 
blow  which  I  aimed  with  such  hearty  good- will,  a 
loud  laugh  rang  in  unearthly  tones  through  the  old 


304          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

hall,  and  I  was  arrested  in  my  purpose  by  hearing 
the  statue  exclaim,  '  Bravo,  valiant  Englishman  !  I 
have  often  heard  that  few  things  can  quell  the  stout 
hearts  of  your  gallant  countrymen,  or  deprive  them 
of  courage  and  presence  of  rnind  to  free  themselves 
from  peril,  however  threatened,  however  beset.  I 
have  beheld  many  a  daring  feat  in  my  living  martial 
days,  and  have  ever  been  an  admirer  of  intrepidity  ; 
so  I  am  not  likely  now  to  resent  a  bold  act,  merely 
because  it  is  directed  against  myself  Thou  art  free, 
therefore,  brave  Englishman/  said  he,  relinquishing 
his  marble  grasp,  '  and  thy  undaunted  behavior  has 
won  that  from  Count  Giulio  which  no  cringing  so- 
licitation, no  pusillanimous  dread  of  his  power,  could 
have  won  from  him.  Beneath  this  hall  is  a  vaulted 
chamber  that  contains  evidence  whether  fawning  or 
fear  ever  met  favor  from  me  ;  there  lie  the  skeletons 
of  those  who  fell  victims  to  my  marble  grasp  when 
they  shrunk  dastardly  beneath  the  terror  of  its  im- 
prisonment, and  sought  not,  like  thee,  to  free  them- 
selves by  the  exercise  of  mental  and  bodily  energy. 
You  may,  if  you  choose,  behold  these  skeletons. 
Through  yonder  door  you  will  find  a  staircase  ;  you 
can  satisfy  yourself  of  the  truth  of  my  words,  by 
descending  among  those  heaps  of  worthless  bones, 
and  witnessing  the  effects  of  my  loathing  for  all  that 
is  cowardly  and  base.7 

"  I  thanked  him,  but  declined  to  avail  myself  of 
his  polite  offer,  as  I  begged  to  assure  him  I  could 
perfectly  rely  upon  Count  Giulio 's  word,  without 
counting  the  skeletons  of  his  victims  ;  '  yet/  I  ven- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  305 

tured  to  add,  '  there  is  one  question  I  would  fain  ask  ; 
that  picture  — 

"  '  Hold  ! '  interrupted  the  statue,  in  a  voice  of 
thunder,  while  I  could  perceive  his  marble  fingers 
clutch  and  quiver,  as  if  scarcely  able  to  refrain  from 
seizing  my  wrist  again ;  '  carry  not  boldness  into 
rashness, —  seek  not  to  pry  into  secrets  that  concern 
thee  not  !  Away !  and  thank  thy  stars  that  thou 
hast  escaped  the  penalty  of  thy  impertinent  curi- 
osity.7 

"  I  waited  not  to  be  twice  bidden ;  I  took  such 
excellent  advice  as  speedily  as  I  could  by  advancing 
to  the  hall-door,  and  drawing  back  the  rusty  bolt ; 
and  when  I  found  myself  once  more  without  the 
walls  of  the  dismantled  palazzo,  I  failed  not  to  utter 
a  devout  thanksgiving,  that  instead  of  mouldering 
beneath  its  dreary  vaults,  I  was  hale  and  hearty  in 
the  flesh,  and  breathing  the  pure  air  of  heaven,  and 
trudging  cheerily  back  to  Genoa,  singing  a  blithe 
sea-ditty.  Nor  many  hours  more  and  I  was  at  sea 
once  again,  sailing  away  from  the  harbor  of  '  Genoa 
la  Superba  ; ;  and  as  I  looked  back  upon  the  mag- 
nificent city,  which  rose  like  a  vast  amphitheatre  of 
palaces  against  the  stately  range  of  maritime  Alps, 
I  acknowledged  the  meetness  of  the  surname  which 
the  Italians  had  bestowed  upon  the  beautiful  birth- 
place of  Columbus,  Prince  of  Mariners. 

"  I  felt  my  spirit  rise,  and  my  heart  dance  with 
buoyant  delight,  as  I  once  more  found  myself  bound- 
ing away  over  the  element  I  loved  so  well.  I 
exulted  as  I  was  borne  aloft  upon  the  crests  of  the 
waves,  and  darted  like  a  bird  over  the  bright  clear 
20 


306  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

waters,  that  heaved  and  swelled  proudly,  rolling 
their  translucent  length  in  ceaseless  undulation.  I 
felt  as  if  I  could  gaze  forever  into  their  green  depths, 
and  ponder  upon  their  fathomless  mysteries.  I  was 
transported  with  a  sense  of  freedom,  of  boundless 
liberty,  as  I  scanned  the  distant  horizon,  and  bared 
my  brow  to  the  ocean  breeze,  and  looked  abroad  into 
the  vast  expanse  of  sky, —  in  short,  my  dears,  I  was 
an  old  sailor  going  to  sea  again,  after  some  months 
of  wandering  upon  land, —  which  sufficiently  explains 
the  state  of  rapture  in  which  I  found  myself  on  quit- 
ting the  shores  of  lovely  Italy. — But  we  must  think 
of  new  adventures  to-morrow  ;  it  is  too  late  to-night 
for  any  more  yarns/' 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  307 


CHAPTEK    XI. 

THE   FIRE   AT  SEA. THE   ISLAND   OF    OMBROSA. VELATA. 

"WELL,  then,  Kit,  now  for  another  yarn  !  "  ex- 
claimed the  young  brother  and  sister,  next  evening. 

"Well,  my  dears,"  replied  the  old  mariner,  "I 
had  enjoyed  my  return  to  sea  for  about  five  weeks, 
with  nothing  to  damp  my  ardor,  nothing  to  inter- 
fere with  my  delight.  The  weather  was  fine,  the 
breezes  were  just  sufficient  to  send  us  pleasantly  on, 
and  varied  only  so  as  to  make  our  course  all  the 
more  agreeable  for  the  deviations  we  were  compelled 
to  pursue. 

"  '  What  can  the  land-lubbers  mean  by  abusing  a 
seafaring  life  ?  ;.  said  a  young  sailor  on  board  to  me, 
one  day ;  '  they  talk  of  its  perils,  as  if  there  were 
none  on  shore  ;  they  talk  of  its  hardships,  as  if 
nobody  ever  heard  of  such  a  thing  as  working  hard 
on  shore.  I  should  like  to  know,  now,  if  this  is  n't 
a  jolly  life  we  're  leading  here,  and  much  better  than 
being  stifled  up  on  land  ! ' 

"  '  Wait  a  bit,  my  lad,  wait  a  bit/  said  the  voice 
of  an  old  weather-beaten  seaman,  who  stood  near  us 
at  the  helm,  and  whose  wrinkled  face  and  tanned 
skin  spoke  of  many  a  buffet  about  the  world,  of  many 
a  rough  night,  and  of  many  a  sun-burning ;  '  this  is 
your  first  voyage,  my  lad  ;  wait  till  you  've  been  as 
many  as  I  have,  and  then  let's  hear  what  you've 


303          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OP 

got  to  say  about  the  perils  and  hardships  of  the 
sea.7 

"  '  0,  you  mean  storms  and  shipwrecks,  and  that 
sort  of  thing  !  They  're  perils,  to  be  sure/  flippantly 
replied  the  young  sailor ;  '  but  you  know  there  are 
such  things  as  storms  and  earthquakes  on  land,  my 
good  old  Triton.  And  then  for  hardships ;  why, 
surely  weaving,  and  digging,  and  threshing,  and 
such-like  land  labor,  are  as  hard  work  as  furling  and 
unfurling  sails,  swabbing  the  decks,  or  climbing  the 
shrouds.7 

"  '  Or  working  at  the  pumps  for  three  days  and 
nights  in  succession,  while  you  watch  how  many 
inches  the  water  gains  upon  you  every  six  hours  ;  or 
rowing  for  dear  life  in  an  open  boat  upon  a  bit  of 
salt  junk  and  a  table-spoonful  of  fresh  water  for  each 
day's  ration,  with  no  land  in  sight,  and  your  ship 
gone  to  the  bottom/  said  the  old  seaman,  quietly. 

"  '  You  speak  of  disastrous  extremities,  my  good 
friend/  returned  the  other ;  '  time  enough  to  look 
out  for  squalls  when  they  come.7 

"'  There's  more  besides  squalls,  or  even  famine 
at  sea/  remarked  the  old  seaman. 

"  '  Well,  a  sea-life  for  me  ! '  exclaimed  the  young 
man ;  '  and  let 's  enjoy  the  fine  weather  while  we 
can.  I  hate  croaking  !  ' 

11 '  So  do  I/  returned  the  old  sailor ;  'Heaven  for- 
bid I  should  mar  the  bright  sunshine  by  casting  a 
cloud  of  gloom  athwart  it ;  but,  all  I  say  is,  don't 
boast  too  much,  and  don't  fleer  at  the  landsmen, 
until  you  've  made  quite  sure  that  you  've  got  the 
best  of  it.' 


KIT   BAM,    MARINER.  309 

"  '  Well,  my  toast,  when  I  have  my  grog  next, 
shall  be,  Huzza  for  a  sailor's  life  I  —  may  he  long  en- 
joy a  light  heart  and  a  merry  one ! '  said  the  young 
fellow. 

"'And  mine  shall  be,  Huzza  for  the  sailor!  — 
may  he  ever  keep  a  watchful  eye,  a  ready  hand,  and 
a  brave  heart ! '  replied  the  old  seaman. 

"  '  Why,  of  course,  every  sailor  has  a  brave  heart, 
has  n't  he,  old  Neptune  ?  I  suppose  we  shall  all  be 
brave  enough  when  danger  comes,  shan't  we  ?  J 

"'We  shall  see/ quietly  rejoined  the  old  helms- 
man ;  and  there  the  conversation  dropped. 

"  Presently  there  was  a  man  came  astern,  who 
hurriedly  said  that  smoke  had  been  seen  to  issue 
from  one  of  the  hatchways.  The  mere  thought  of  a 
fire  on  board  ship  in  the  open  sea  is  sufficient  to 
appall  the  stoutest  heart,  and  very  soon  all  betokened 
the  consternation  which  followed  the  man's  announce- 
ment. The  captain  gave  immediate  orders  for  seve- 
ral sails  to  be  wetted  and  placed  across  the  hatch- 
ways, to  prevent,  if  possible,  the  air  from  penetrat- 
ing into  the  hold  ;  but  it  had  already  obtained  a  free 
passage  thither,  and  caused  a  great  volume  of  smoke 
to  ascend,  and  the  fire  to  gain  considerable  ground. 
All  hands  were  busily  employed  in  endeavoring  to 
extinguish  it ;  the  pumps  were  kept  at  work  ;  buck- 
ets were  passed  to  and  fro  ;  even  our  fresh  water 
was  emptied  from  the  tanks,  sacrificed  at  once,  and 
cast  hastily  upon  the  flames.  They,  however,  baffled 
all  our  efforts,  and  burst  forth  in  every  direction, 
ascending  in  spiral  tongues  and  forked  streams,  that 
licked  the  masts  and  consumed  the  cordage,  and 


310          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

darted  destruction  everywhere,  carrying  terror  and 
dismay  to  all  on  board. 

"  Still  the  men  worked  desperately,  as  if  the  two- 
fold danger  inspired  them  with  two-fold  courage  ;  be- 
tween the  two  elements  closely  pressing  on  either 
side  to  devour  us,  we  seemed  to  feel  doubly  urged 
to  exertion. 

"  But  human  toil,  human  bravery,  was  unavailing, 
and  it  shortly  became  evident  that  nothing  could 
save  the  vessel.  A  huge  stream  of  fire  flamed  up 
from  the  very  centre  of  the  ship,  an  awful  beacon  of 
triumph  and  conquest ;  and  the  men,  utterly  defeated 
by  one  enemy,  recklessly  committed  themselves  to 
the  mercy  of  the  other.  Spars,  yards,  fragments  of 
masts,  planks,  coops,  empty  chests,  any  and  every 
thing  was  seized  in  the  confusion  and  tossed  over- 
board by  the  unhappy  creatures,  who  flung  them- 
selves hastily  into  the  sea  after  these  frail  means  of 
preservation.  The  confusion  was  extreme.  Some 
plunged  into  the  water  and  sunk  immediately ; 
others  swam  about,  and  clung  to  the  floating  arti- 
cles ;  many  were  stunned  with  the  blazing  fragments 
of  the  wreck  ;  several  were  shot  by  the  balls  that 
were  discharged  from  the  guns  by  the  flames  ;  and 
others  were  scorched  and  burnt  to  death  by  the  in- 
tense heat,  and  the  myriads  of  burning  embers,  which 
fell  in  all  directions,  amid  showers  of  sparks  and  vol- 
umes of  smoke.  In  the  confusion  I  saw  the  old 
seaman  whom  I  before  mentioned  ;  he  was  standing 
close  to  his  captain,  urging  him  to  save  himself  and 
quit  the  ship,  while  he  shook  off  the  red-hot  cinders 
that  poured  around  his  own  gray  head.  As  he  spoke, 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  311 

a  portion  of  the  burning  wreck  swept  the  captain 
overboard,  and  the  old  man,  casting  his  eyes  de- 
voutly to  heaven  for  one  moment,  threw  himself  res- 
olutely into  the  sea,  where  I  saw  him  seized  in  the 
clutch  of  a  poor  drowning  wretch,  who  dragged  him 
beneath  the  waters,  and  they  both  sunk  together. 
The  young  fellow  who  had  boasted  so  loudly  in  the 
morning  had  found  his  way,  with  a  few  other  equally 
bold  companions,  to  the  spirit-store,  where  they  had 
staved  in  a  rum-cask,  and  died  roaring  drunk.  The 
fate  of  the  old  seaman  had  taught  me  precaution  ;  so 
that  the  first  thing  I  did,  upon  leaping  overboard 
myself,  was  carefully  to  shun  the  struggling  wretches 
around,  who  would  have  seized  and  involved  me  in 
their  own  destruction.  Fortunately  I  escaped  this, 
and  all  the  other  perils  of  the  burning  vessel,  for  I 
swam  rapidly  and  steadily  to  windward,  that  I  might 
avoid  her  dangerous  proximity.  I  had  not  gained 
more  than  a  couple  of  miles'  distance,  when  I  heard 
a  tremendous  explosion,  and,  looking  back,  I  per- 
ceived huge  pieces  of  flaming  wood  hurled  high  into 
the  air,  amid  a  cloud  of  darkness  :  the  fire  must  have 
reached  the  powder-roorn,  and  blown  up  the  ship. 
With  it,  I  suppose,  perished  all  my  unfortunate  ship- 
mates, for  I  never  beheld  one  of  them  again.  My 
heart  wept  with  compassion  for  my  lost  friends,  and 
my  senses  reeled  with  this  crowning  horror  of  the  ex- 
ploding vessel ;  which,  joined  to  all  I  had  previously 
beheld  that  day,  combined  to  bewilder  arid  depress 
me,  so  that  I  could  have  sobbed  in  the  midst  of  the 
open  sea ;  but  I  made  a  powerful  effort  to  control 
my  emotion,  and  rouse  my  utmost  fortitude.  I  swam 


312  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

on,  therefore,  as  vigorously  as  I  could ;  but  I  suf- 
fered physically  as  well  as  mentally ;  I  had  been 
severely  scorched  while  still  on  board  the  burning 
ship,  and  the  sun  shed  his  rays  fiercely  upon  my 
limbs  and  aching  head,  exposed  now  to  his  ardor,  as 
I  made  my  way  each  moment  more  feebly  through 
the  water. 

"  I  was  about  at  length  to  yield,  unable  to  force 
my  exhausted  frame  to  further  exertion,  when  I  per- 
ceived some  green  boughs  floating  at  a  little  distance. 
I  made  a  last  energetic  effort,  and  succeeded  in 
reaching  this  unexpected  ark  of  refuge.  It  proved 
to  be  an  uprooted  tree,  which  must  have  been  but 
lately  torn  from  the  earth,  for  its  leaves  were  not 
yet  withered ;  and  as  I  crept  beneath  their  welcome 
shade,  and  returned  Heaven  thanks  for  this  timely 
succor,  I  drew  comfort  from  the  assurance  it  afforded 
that  land  could  not  be  far  distant.  I  reclined  beneath 
my  luxurious  floating  bower  in  ease  and  safety,  while 
this  natural  raft  of  green  timber  bore  me  gently  on 
towards  the  shore,  for  the  tide  was  fortunately  roll- 
ing in  very  rapidly. 

"  I  landed  on  a  gentle  grassy  slope,  and  found  that 
I  was  in  a  beautiful  fertile  island,  abounding  with  all 
that  is  lovely  in  nature  and  most  attractive  to  man's 
senses.  Trees,  bending  with  the  weight  of  luscious 
fruits,  formed  groves  of  wooing  umbrage  and  cool- 
ness ;  flaunting  vines  and  climbing  plants  inter- 
mingled their  clusters  of  grapes  and  blossoms,  and 
enwreathed  the  barks  of  ash,  elm,  and  oak,  with 
palm  and  other  foreign  trees,  in  a  universal  bond  of 
fellowship.  Birds  of  vivid  plumage  and  melodious 


KIT   BAM,    MARINER.  313 

song  sported  from  bough  to  bough,  and  filled  the  air 
with  their  sprightly  music.  Bright  fish  darted  flash- 
mgly  in  the  clear  streams  that  meandered  through 
the  landscape,  and  imparted  the  charm  of  motion  to 
a  scene  so  exquisitely  tranquil,  yet  fruitful. 

"  I  saw  no  signs  of  inhabitants,  with  the  exception 
of  a  small  solitary  hut,  which,  though  its  construc- 
tion was  of  the  rudest  kind,  being  built  merely  of  the 
trunks  of  trees  roughly  hewn  and  placed  nearly  in  a 
circle,  yet  it  was  so  surrounded  and  interlaced  by 
garlands  of  flowering  creepers, — the  rose,  the  mag- 
nolia, the  honeysuckle,  the  jasmine,  the  scarlet  trum- 
pet-flower, and  the  purple  morandia,  —  that  it  looked 
like  a  floral  temple  more  than  a  human  dwelling.  I 
was  just  about  to  approach  and  enter,  when  my  at- 
tention was  attracted  by  the  sound  of  female  laugh- 
ter. The  peal  of  merriment  issued  from  a  thick  grove 
hard  by  ;  and  I  stood  still  and  listened.  Yes,  it  was 
distinctly  the  noise  of  a  party  of  giggling  girls  at 
high  romps,  and  I  could  even  distinguish  that  they 
spoke  a  mixed  dialect,  half  Indian,  half  Spanish  ;  for, 
as  you  may  suppose,  my  dears,  I  had  picked  up  a 
kind  of  smattering  of  many  different  languages  dur- 
ing my  wandering  travels,  and  could  make  out  most 
that  was  said  to  me  everywhere,  as  well  as  contrive 
to  make  myself  understood  in  return. 

"  '  Throw  the  ball  to  me  next ! ?  I  heard  clearly 
from  one  gay  voice. 

"'No,  no!  It  is  Velata' s  turn  now!  Velata ! 
Velata  !  quick,  quick  ! '  exclaimed  a  chorus  of  sport- 
ive girlish  tones. 

"  I  was  now  within  the  outer  circle  of  trees  that 


314  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

formed  the  entrance  to  the  small  wood.  The  speak- 
ers seemed  to  be  only  on  the  other  side  of  an  acacia- 
tree  near  which  I  stood,  and  yet  I  could  see  no  one. 
The  grove,  but  for  the  sounds  of  jocund  mirth  that 
rung  through  it,  seemed  a  complete  solitude.  I 
stepped  forward  from  the  tree  into  an  open  space, 
whence  the  sounds  certainly  proceeded ;  and  then 
suddenly  a  piercing  shriek  burst  forth,  as  from  sev- 
eral affrighted  women,  mingled  with  many  an  outcry 
of  wild  surprise.  These  exclamations  and  startled 
tones  receded  rapidly ;  and,  though  I  ran  forward, 
they  quickly  died  away,  leaving  me  in  total  silence. 
I  felt  strangely  perplexed  ;  it  was  evident  there  were 
inhabitants  of  the  island,  for  I.  was  quite  sure  I  had 
been  close  to  the  beings  whose  voices  I  had  heard, 
though  I  could  see  none. 

"  A  sensation  of  undefined  alarm  crept  over  me, 
at  the  thought  of  my  vicinity  to  creatures  whose 
nature  I  could  not  ascertain  ;  for,  though  what  little 
I  did  know  of  them  was  certainly  not  much  calcu- 
lated to  inspire  fear,  yet  I  was  by  this  time  in  a  state 
well  fitted  for  the  growth  of  vague  uneasiness  and 
discomfort.  The  fact  is,  I  was  very  ill ;  the  terrific 
scene  of  the  burning  ship,  the  pain  from  my  scorched 
and  blistered  body,  the  fatigue  of  swimming  so  far, 
with  the  rays  of  a  burning  sun  darting  full  upon  my 
uncovered  head,  had  combined  to  throw  rne  into  a 
severe  fever,  and  I  now  began  to  sink  under  the  first 
coming  on  of  the  attack.  I  dragged  my  heavy  limbs 
through  the  grove,  and  made  my  way  from  beneath 
the  trees,  with  the  idea  of  seeking  shelter  in  the  sol- 
itary hut  I  had  perceived  near  the  entrance  of  the 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  315 

wood ;  but,  though  the  distance  was  so  slight,  my 
strength  was  insufficient  to  bear  me  thither,  and  1 
sunk  upon  the  grass  just  as  I  had  reached  the 
threshold.  The  tranquil  island  scene  swam  before 
my  distempered  vision,  my  head  throbbed  and  reeled, 
my  burning  eyelids  closed,  a  deep  sigh  fluttered  from 
my  parched  lips,  and  I  fell  prostrate. 

"  The  first  thing  of  which  I  was  conscious,  when  I 
recovered,  was  a  sense  of  delicious  coolness  ;  a  balmy 
fragrance  seemed  to  pervade  the  air,  and  a  deep  feel- 
ing of  repose  and  healing  was  diffused  throughout 
rny  languid  frame.  I  heaved  a  sigh  of  placid  content- 
ment, —  0,  how  different  from  the  one  which  had 
fluttered  forth  when  I  sunk  to  the  earth  last !  —  and  I 
dreamily  opened  my  eyes  to  discover  where  I  was. 
I  found  that  I  was  lying  upon  a  couch  of  skins,  in  a 
wooden  hut,  which  I  soon  concluded  must  be  the 
interior  of  the  one  I  had  seen  when  I  was  attacked 
by  fever. 

"  But,  though  I  was  able  to  conclude  thus  far,  I 
could  form  no  guess  as  to  how  long  I  had  lain  there, 
or  by  whom  I  had  been  transported  thither.  And 
yet  the  suppleness  of  my  skin,  the  moisture  of  my 
mouth,  the  relief  of  my  aching  head,  having  so  en- 
tirely replaced  the  feverish  symptoms  by  which  I  was 
oppressed  when  I  sunk  beneath  my  illness,  all  con- 
firmed my  impression  that  I  must  not  only  have  had 
a  serious  illness,  but  that  I  had  been  carefully  tended 
and  nursed  through  it  by  some  unknown  friend. 
Who  could  this  kind  friend  be  ?  I  gazed  feebly 
round  the  small  apartment, —  for  I  was  still  weak, — 
and  all  I  saw  convinced  me  that  it  was  a  woman's 


316  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

hand  which  had  been  so  benevolently  extended  to  my 
relief.  There  were  so  many  evidences  of  a  feminine 
presence,  even  in  that  rude  interior,  that  I  could  not 
doubt  for  a  moment  but  that  a  woman  had  been  my 
preserving  angel.  There  was  that  general  air  of 
neatness  which  the  cabin  of  the  wildest  savage 
almost  instinctively  assumes,  in  common  with  the 
boudoir  of  the  lady  of  fashion  ;  there  was  that  grace- 
ful disposal  of  flowers  around  the  window  of  the  hut, 
which  might  have  been  arranged  in  a  clusteringly 
heaped  vase  elsewhere  ;  there  was  a  smooth  comfort 
iu  the  piling  of  the  skins  around  me,  that  would  have 
been  a  judicious  placing  of  pillows  and  downy  quilts 
in  a  civilized  bed  ;  there  was  a  cooling  drink  set 
close  by  my  side,  that  was  surely  mingled  by  no 
other  than  a  womanly  hand,  whether  the  vessel  that 
contained  it  were  formed  of  a  cocoa-nut  shell,  or  of 
elaborate  Dresden  china. 

"  I  lay  musing  thus,  pleasantly  enough,  while  I 
watched  the  rays  of  the  sun  playing  among  the  leaves 
and  blossoms  at  the  window,  and  casting  twinkling 
shadows  upon  my  ccftich,  when  suddenly  I  heard  a 
low  sweet  womanly  voice  singing  close  outside  of  the 
window,  in  that  sort  of  gentle  under-tone,  as  if  the 
singer  were  anxious  not  to  disturb  another,  yet  giv- 
ing vent  to  her  own  blithe  feelings  while  she  pur- 
sued her  work.  I  could  distinguish  words  ;  they 
seemed  to  be  a  sort  of  invocation  for  aid  in  garden- 
ing, arid  a  eulogium  on  the  beauty  of  the  flowers  she 
was  doubtless  employed  in  training  and  tending.  I 
lay  listening  breathlessly.  Presently  the  song  ended, 
and  the  door  of  the  hut  was  pushed  gently,  as  if 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  31 7 

some  one  were  endeavoring  to  enter  without  noise. 
The  door  opened,  but  no  object  darkened  the  thresh- 
old. The  sunshine  streamed  through  the  doorway  in 
an  uninterrupted  flood  of  light,  arid  1  could  distinctly 
see  the  beautiful  landscape  during  the  few  seconds 
before  the  door  was  shut  again  softly  by  the  same 
unseen  hand. 

"  My  heart  beat  chokingly,  and  I  closed  my  eyes. 
As  I  lay  perfectly  motionless,  I  felt  a  warm  breath 
close  to  rny  cheek,  as  if  some  one  leant  over  me. 

"  '  He  is  better —  surely  better/  said  a  voice  close 
to  my  ear.  * 

"  I  could  not  help  starting  violently,  and  I  fancied 
the  person  withdrew  as  abruptly,  while  I  gasped,  in 
irrepressible  emotion, 

"  '  For  Heaven's  sake,  who  is  there  ?  ; 

"  '  I/  said  the  same  sweet  voice  ;  '  it  is  only  I.' 

"  '  But  who  are  you  ?  and  where  are  you  ? '  ex- 
claimed I,  impatiently  ;  for,  though  I  strained  my 
eyes  in  the  direction  of  the  voice,  I  could  see 
nothing. 

"  '  I  am  Velata  —  I  am  here,  close  to  your  heap  of 
skins  ;  is  it  possible  you  do  not  see  me  ?  Or  is  it 
indeed  true,  as  the  tradition  of  our  country  says, 
that  there  are  people  of  other  nations,  across  the  great 
sea,  to  whom  we  are  invisible  ? ' 

"  As  .these  words  were  uttered,  I  felt  a  soft  hand 
lightly  laid  on  mine.  I  eagerly  grasped  it,  and  found 
warm  little  flesh  and  blood  fingers,  which  pressed 
mine  kindly  as  I  caressed  them. 

"  '  It  is  you,  then,  who  have  been  my  kind  nurse  ; 
it  is  to  you  I  owe  my  life  !  7  I  exclaimed.  '  0,  that 


318  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

I  could  look  at  you,  to  thank  you  for  all  your  patient 
goodness  —  your  kindness  towards  an  unhappy  stran- 
ger, a  shipwrecked,  perishing  wretch,  who  but  for 
you  must  have  died  !  I  feel  like  a  blind  man,  when  I 
look  towards  your  voice  ;  let  me  hear  it,  that  I  may 
be  sure  of  your  presence.7 

"  She  indulged  me  by  speaking  at  length.  She 
told  me  how  startled  she  and  her  companions  had 
been  at  my  unexpected  appearance  that  morning, 
when  I  first  came  among  them.  They  had  all  fled 
in  terror  at  seeing  a  man  suddenly  approach  ;  but 
that  she  herself^had  summoned  courage  to  remain 
and  watch  me,  as  she  saw  that  I  looked  ill,  and  as  if 
needing  relief  and  support.  She  said  that  she  had 
followed  me  from  the  wood ;  had  seen  me  approach 
the  hut,  and  sink  exhausted  upon  the  grass  at  its 
threshold ;  that  she  had  raised  my  head  from  the 
earth,  and  had  been  just  about  to  seek  fresh  water, 
that  she  might  sprinkle  it  over  my  face  to  revive  me, 
when  her  companions,  who  had  followed  to  look  for 
her,  had  assisted  her  in  lifting  me  into  the  hut,  and 
had  joined  their  endeavors  to  hers  for  rny  recovery. 
But  when  they  found  more  than  an  hour  elapse,  and 
that  I  still  gave  no  signs  of  returning  to  myself, 
they  had  tried  to  persuade  her  to  leave  me  to  my 
fate,  as  it  was  then  time  to  return  to  their  canoes. 
She  explained  to  me  that  it  was  the  habit  of  the 
young  maidens  of  a  neighboring  large  island  to 
come  hither  in  the  spring  season  of  the  year,  and 
celebrate  a  vernal  festival  with  various  sports  and 
pastimes.  It  was  a  rule  that  no  man  should  join 
this  festival,  on  any  pretence  whatever ;  and  that 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  319 

therefore  the  canoes  were  conducted  hither  by  the 
troops  of  young  girls  themselves,  who  steered  ana 
rowed  with  much  expertriess,  and  performed  feats  of 
great  dexterity  during  their  annual  visit  to  this  spot. 
The  festival  was  looked  forward  to  with  delight,  and 
was  a  source  of  great  pride  arid  enjoyment  to  its  fair 
votaries.  A  sense  of  freedom  and  independence  in 
the  management  of  their  miniature  fleet,  complete 
seclusion  and  liberty  in  their  frolicsome  games  while 
dancing,  singing,  running,  playing,  gathering  fruit, 
and  sporting  hither  and  thither  uncontrolled  through 
the  lovely  plains  of  this  pleasant  island,  made  the 
vernal  festival  a  cherished  privilege  among  them. 
Great,  then,  was  their  dismay  upon  finding  a  male 
intruder  suddenly  make  his  appearance  among  them  ; 
and  when  they  would  have  left  the  stranger  to  his 
fate,  finding  their  benevolent  attempts  to  restore 
him  ineffectual,  upon  the  approach  of  the  hour  when 
it  was  necessary  for  them  to  return  to  their  own 
island  in  the  canoes,  they  found  they  could  not  per- 
suade Yelata  to  accompany  them.  She  said  that 
nothing  should  induce  her  to  leave  afi  unfortunate 
being  to  perish  ;  that  she  had  no  particular  ties  to 
bind  her  to  their  own  island ;  and  that  she  felt  it  now 
to  be  her  first  duty  to  stay  and  protect  the  charge 
which  chance  had  cast  in  her  way.  The  hut,  which 
was  a  sort  of  rustic  temple,  dedicated  to  the  enter- 
tainment of  the  fair  vestals  during  their  resort  to  this 
spot,  would  suffice  for  a  shelter  for  herself  and  her 
poor  patient ;  and  she  bade  them  hesitate  not  to  fbave 
her  where  she  herself  preferred,  and  determined  to 
stay.  On  her  repeated  assurances  to  this  effect,  and 


320  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

finding  that  all  their  persuasions  were  vain,  they 
quitted  her,  and  returned  to  the  canoes,  not  without 
some  laughing  mockery  at  her  quixotic  devotion  to 
self-imposed  hospital  duties. 

'"I  listened  to  their  gay  voices/  said  Velata,  in 
conclusion,  '  as  they  gradually  receded  ;  soon  the 
last  faint  echoes  of  their  rallying  mirth  died  upon 
my  ear,  and  I  found  myself  alone  with  my  poor 
patient,  whose  fevered  breathing  and  restless  twitch- 
ings  soon  occupied  all  my  attention.  I  have  had 
sad  teaching  in  the  part  of  a  nurse/  continued  she, 
'  for  my  poor  father  lingered  long  of  the  fever  and 
wounds  of  which  he  died,  after  fighting  bravely  for 
his  country  in  one  of  the  battles  between  ours  and  a 
neighboring  land,  but  I  have  had  reason  to  rejoice 
in  my  experience,  since  it  has  been  at  length  the 
means  of  restoring  you  to  health.  But  you  are  not 
yet  strong,  and  I  have  too  long  neglected  my  nurs- 
ing duties  while  I  have  been  talking ;  so  I  will  now 
go  and  prepare  some  of  these  herbs  for  you/ 

"  She  withdrew  her  hand  from  mine  as  she  spoke, 
for  I  had  held  it  clasped  all  this  time,  that  I  might 
have  the  better  sense  of  her  presence. 

"  But  now  that  she  glided  about  silently  in  the 
pursuit  of  her  herbal  preparation,  I  felt  singularly 
affected  by  the  knowledge  that  there  was  this  in- 
visible being  near  me, —  a  gentle,  affectionate,  minis- 
tering comforter, —  one  who  had  devoted  herself  to 
my  preservation,  and  who  was  at  this  very  moment 
actively  employed  in  my  behalf.  And  yet  I  could 
see  no  vestige  -of  her  ;  I  could  only  trace  her  move- 
ments by  the  articles  she  placed  and  replaced,  as  she 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  321 

went  hither  and  thither  fetching  and  arranging  the 
various  ingredients  she  wanted.  I  saw  the  cocoa-nut 
cup  removed  from  the  side  of  my  couch,  but  I 
strained  my  eyes  in  vain  to  distinguish  the  hand 
that  conveyed  it ;  I  beheld  the  small  heap  of  herbs 
raised  from  the  table  where  it  lay,  and  the  several 
sprays  divide  and  sort  themselves  in  mid  air,  then 
detach  their  blossoms  and  leaves  from  the  stalks,  and 
fall  into  the  vessel  placed  there  to  receive  them,  but 
I  looked  vainly  for  the  deft  little  fingers  that  per- 
formed these  operations  with  so  nimble  a  grace  ;  I 
perceived  a  bunch  of  grapes  and  some  rosy  fruit  suc- 
cessively discharge  their  juice  into  the  cup,  but  I 
could  discern  no  outline  of  the  palms  which  daintily 
pressed  the  ripe  clusters  together.  At  first  this 
curious  partial  sight  amused,  though  it  perplexed 
me  ;  it  was  so  strange  to  see  these  different  objects 
move  about,  and  perform  their  several  evolutions 
spontaneously,  and  without  any  apparent  cause  ;  but 
soon  my  amusement  merged  into  an  intense  wish  to 
behold  the  fair  motive  power  itself,  and  to  feel  again 
assured  of  her  actual  presence. 

"  '  Yelata  ! '  I  exclaimed,  'I  wish  you  would 
speak  ;  I  cannot  see  you  —  and  I  want  to  hear  you  — 
to  be  certain  you  are  there.' 

"  She  laughed  a  pleasant  little  musical  laugh,  and 
then  chatted  gayly  about  the  herbs  and  the  fruit  she 
was  arranging,  and  said,  '  she  hoped  I  should  soon 
be  well  enough  to  get  up  and  walk  out  into  the  fresh 
air.' 

"  '  I  think  I  am  well  enough  already/  said  I,  mak- 
ing an  effort  to  raise  myself  upon  my  elbow  ;  but  i 
21 


322  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

soon  found  my  strength  was  unequal  to  the  task,  for 
my  arm  gave  way  under  me  immediately,  and  I  fell 
back  upon  the  couch. 

"I  heard  a  little  hurried  movement  towards  me, 
as  if  my  nurse  feared  I  was  ill ;  but,  perceiving  how 
it  was,  she  uttered  her  pleasant  laugh  again,  and 
said : 

"You  see  you  must  still  be  content  to  be  my 
patient  for  a  while,  and  must  not  attempt  to  move 
till  I  give  you  leave.7  • 

"  I  soon  saw,  by  the  motion  of  some  of  the  articles 
in  the  hut,  that  Yelata  was  employed  in  little  house- 
wifely duties,  of  arranging  and  disposing  the  order 
of  the  room  ;  I  took  delight  in  watching  her  progress 
through  them,  and  by  constantly  talking  to  her,  and 
winning  her  to  answer,  I  contrived  very  well  to  ascer- 
tain whereabouts  she  was.  I  then  bethought  me  of 
asking  her  to  bring  me  a  branch  of  the  flowery  wood- 
bine that  threw  its  garlands  around  the  window  of 
the  hut ;  this  I  twined  amid  her  hair,  and  could  then 
trace  the  various  glidings  to  and  fro  of  the  branch, 
and  imagine  the  sweet  face  that  moved  about  beneath 
its  fragrant  blossoms. 

"Another  device  of  mine,  to  obtain  evidence  of  her 
actuality,  was  asking  her  to  sing  ;  which  she  would 
"do  untiringly  by  the  hour  together,  while  she  pursued 
her  daily  avocations.  Her  voice  was  full  and  melo- 
dious^and  she  knew  a  vast  store  of  legendary  tales 
of  her  country,  that  were  set  to  wild  national  airs  ; 
these  she  would  chant  to  me,  varying  their  mood 
from  sportive  to  sad,  from  plaintive  to  gay,  from  the 
lulling,  soothing  melody  of  the  cradle-song  to  the 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  323 

spirited  strain  of  the  martial  war-cry  and  battle  sum- 
mons. 

"  Day  by  day  I  increased  in  strength,  and  day  by 
day  she  tended  me  with  unwearied  care  and  affec- 
tionate attention,  until  I  was  completely  recovered. 
Each  day  I  had  fresh  cause  for  gratitude  to  my  gentle, 
my  assiduous  nurse,  my  kind  preserver.  Each  day 
developed  some  new  instance  of  sweet  nature,  oblig- 
ing disposition,  winning  gayety,  and  endearing  quali- 
ties. What  wonder  if  I  grew  to  love  my  invisible 
guardian  with  an  intensity  of  affection  such  as  I  had 
never  before  felt  for  woman  ?  If  she  were  invisible 
to  my  sense  of  sight,  was  she  not  manifest  to  my 
heart  by  a  thousand  instances  of  kindness,  goodness, 
and  moral  beauty,  as  well  as  by  the  attractions  of 
her  exquisite  singing,  her  melodious  speaking-voice, 
and  her  soft  ministering  hand  ? 

"  Proud  and  happy  was  I  when  I  first  was  able  to 
rise  from  my  sick  bed,  and  aid  her  in  some  of  her 
daily  avocations.  I  had  long  fretted  beneath  the 
necessity  my  illness  imposed  upon  me  of  lying  there 
utterly  useless,  and  unable  to  relieve  my  gentle  nurse 
of  any  of  her  duties  ;  I  felt  my  manliness  impugned 
by  being  compelled  to  allow  her  to  be  constantly 
employed  in  my  behalf,  without  being  able  to  exert 
myself  in  the  least  for  her.  It  was  with  a  feeling  of 
exultation,  therefore,  that  I  one  morning  arose,  when 
I  knew  she  would  be  absent  some  hours  to  obtain 
fruit  for  our  afternoon  meal,  and  set  myself  eagerly 
to  work  to  collect  wood,  to  fetch  water,  to  feather 
some  fresh  arrows  for  her  bow,  to  shape  some  slight 
article  for  our  household, —  and,  in  short,  to  busy 


324  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

myself  about  as  many  useful  things  as  I  could, 
against  her  return.  I  was  just  beginning  to  own, 
unwillingly  to  myself,  that  even  this  slight  exer- 
tion had  somewhat  overtaxed  my  newly-recovered 
strength,  when  I  beheld  the  basket,  which  Velata 
had  fashioned  of  twigs,  to  carry  her  fruit  in,  coming 
towards  me  from  a  distance,  heaped  up  with  glow- 
ing pomegranates,  and  clusters  of  purple  grapes.  I 
knew  that  it  was  borne  along  by  my  gentle  friend, 
and  I  hastened  towards  her  to  relieve  her  from  her 
burthen. . 

"'Let  me  lift  the  basket  from  your  head,  dear 
Velata/  I  exclaimed,  as  I  approached,  '  and  let  me 
replace  it  by  this  garland  of  roses,  which  I  have 
wreathed  for  you,  in  your  absence,  to  celebrate  the 
recovery  of  your  grateful  patient.  May  I  not  crown 
the  brow  of  my  kind  physician  and  nurse  ?  '  added  I, 
in  some  surprise  at  finding  that  she  drew  back. 

"  'No,  no — not  with  those  flowers/  I  heard  her 
say,  and  with  an  accent  which  betrayed  to  my  ear 
that  she  was  agitated  ;  for  I  had  now  become  so  ac- 
customed to  study  the  inflections  and  different  tones 
of  her  voice,  that  I  learned  to  guess  at  her  feelings 
through  this  medium. 

"  '  Why  not  with  these  ? — surely  there  are  no  such 
beauteous  flowers  as  roses, —  best  fitted,  therefore,  to 
indicate  to  me  the  position  of  that  fair  face/  I  re- 
plied. '  Remember,  the  wreaths  you  wear  serve  to 
point  out  to  me  whereabouts  you  are,  and  form  the 
only  beacons  to  guide  me  in  looking  towards  the  fair 
face  I  love  to  imagine  allowing  its  eyes  to  rest  upon 
mine/ 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  325 

"  '  You  have  twice  called  my  face  fair,  in  this  short 
sentence,  my  good  friend/  replied  Velata,  playfully; 
'  how  do  you  know  it  is  fair  ?  I  am  afraid  you  are  a 
mere  flatterer.7 

"  '  I  am  bound  in  courtesy  to  fancy  it  all  that  is 
lovely,  since  I  cannot  prove  it  to  be  the  contrary/ 
answered  I.  '  Besides,  does  it  not  belong  to  a 
bounteous  hand  and  a  generous  heart, —  and  is  not 
every  face  that  is  linked  with  such  companions  of 
necessity  beautiful  to  the  man  who  is  blessed  by 
them  ?  > 

"I  paused;  but  Velata  uttered  no  reply.  I  had 
taken  her  hand  to  lead  her  home,  and  I  felt  it  tremble 
within  my  own.  We  proceeded  in  silence  towards 
the  hut ;  but,  when  we  arrived  there,  and  she  per- 
ceived the  tokens  of  my  morning's  work,  she  abruptly 
exclaimed,  as  if  she  strove  to  resume  her  former 
playful  tone : 

"  '  I  have  a  great  mind  to  be  extremely  angry  ;  is 
this  the  way  my  injunctions  are  obeyed  ?  The  very 
first  opportunity  is  seized  during  my  absence  by  my 
refractory  patient ;  and  here  I  find  he  has  been  doing 
a  great  many  things  he  ought  not  to  have  done,  and 
has  been  over-exerting  himself,  and  he  will  throw 
himself  back,  and  be  ill  again.  I  desire  you  will  sit 
down  quietly,  and  not  venture  to  stir  a  finger,  or 
speak  a  word,  till  I  permit  you  to  do  so.'  I  mean  to 
be  a  very  arbitrary  nurse/ 

"  I  was  about  to  infringe  her  commands,  and 
reply ;  but  I  found  it  was  indeed  too  true,  that  I  was 
not  yet  so  strong  as  I  fancied  myself,  for  I  was  fain 


326          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

to  sit  down  at  once  and  struggle  with  the  faintness 
which  I  indignantly  felt  was  creeping  over  me. 

"  I  have  frequently  noticed  that  men  suffer  from 
this  resentful  feeling,  when  they  are  attacked  by  ill- 
ness. They  cannot  help  being  angry  that  they 
should  be  subject  to  a  weakness  that  interferes  with 
the  potency  of  their  will,  no  less  than  the  vigor  of 
their  frame ;  and  it  is  this,  I  suppose,  that  makes  us 
generally  less  tolerant  of  sickness  than  women  are. 
However  this  may  be,  I  endured  that  sort  of  vex- 
ation keenly  then  ;  I  was  disappointed  to  find  my- 
self frustrated  in  my  hope  of  proving  myself  grate- 
ful, and  yielded  very  reluctantly  to  the  necessity  of 
acknowledging  that  I  still  felt  the  effects  of  the 
fever. 

"  During  my  relapse,  Velata  renewed  all  her  old 
soothing  ministry,  and  forbore  to  reproach  me  with 
the  fact  of  its  being  greatly  my  own  fault,  so  that 
not  many  days  elapsed  before  I  was  well  enough  to 
sit  out  in  the  open  air,  on  a  mossy  seat,  which  my 
nurse  had  prepared  for  me  beneath  a  tree  that  grew 
near  to  the  hut. 

"  She  had  been  singing  to  me,  and  chatting  cheer- 
fully, and  devising  various  means  to  entertain  her 
'  impatient  invalid/  as  she  called  me,  declaring  that 
she  could  by  no  means  call  me  her  '  patient ; ;  but  I 
wa,s  restless,  and,  instead  of  being  soothed  by  her 
voice,  as  I  usually  was  when  I  listened  to  it,  I  felt 
my  longing  to  behold  her  irritated  and  roused  to  an 
insupportable  degree  ;  I  sighed  more  than  once  half 
unconsciously,  as  I  yielded  to  a  despondent  feeling 
that  crept  over  me,  and  that  cast  a  gloom  even  upon 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  32t 

the  fair  landscape,  the  bright  sunshine,  and  the 
pleasant  free  air. 

"  '  You  are  worse  to-day,  I  fear,  my  dear  friend/ 
said  Velata,  tenderly,  sitting  down  beside  me  ;  '  and 
yet  this  lovely  morning  and  pure  air  ought  to  make 
you  better, — -nay,  quite  well/ 

'"I  used  to  long  for  my  recovery,  but  I  have 
learned  to  dread^ getting  well/ said  I,  more  sadly  than 
I  felt  her  kind  care  deserved  from  me  ;  but  I  could 
not  resist  the  depression  of  the  moment. 

"  '  Indeed  !  Then  you  are  out  of  spirits,  as  well  as 
out  of  health.  Perhaps  you  are  tired  of  this  inactive 
life,  and  long  to  pursue  the  wanderings  of  which  you 
have  so  often  told  me/  added  she,  tremulously.  '  But 
you  know  you  must  be  well  for  that ;  you  cannot  go 
to  sea  until  you  are  strong  again/ 

"  '  It  is  not  I  who  wish  to  go  away  ;  I  only  fear 
that  when  my  kind  nurse  finds  her  "impatient 7;  inva- 
lid quite  recovered,  that  it  is  she  who  will  be 
anxious  to  quit  this  place  and  return  to  her  own 
country/ 

"  '  I  have  nothing  to  lead  me  to  wish  to  return 
thither/  said  she.  'When  my  poor  father  died,  I 
had  no  parent  left ;  for  my  mother  never  loved  me,  and 
would  scarcely  ever  bear  me  in  her  sight.  I  did  not 
even  live  with  her  ;  for,  when  she  bade  rne  quit  her 
presence,  as  one  long  loathed  and  only  tolerated 
during  my  father's  life,  I  took  refuge  with  friends, 
the  parents  of  a  young  companion  of  mine,  who  was 
one  of  those  who  came  to  this  island,  on  our  late  fes- 
tival here  I  have  no  true  home/  added  Velata,  in  a 
tone  as  sad  as  my  own  had  been. 


328          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

"  But  it  was  joyfully  now,  that  I  exclaimed  :  '  Then 
let  us  make  one  here,  together !  I  desire  no  other 
home  !  I  wish  but  for  you  —  to  stay  with  you,  Velata, 
ever ! ' 

11 1  passed  my  arm  round  the  gentle  being  that  sat 
on  the  moss  beside  me,  as  I  added :  '  Be  mine, 
Velata,  and  crown  your  generous  kindness,  by  telling 
me  you  are  as  happy  in  remaining  with  me  as  I  am 
in  vowing  to  live  here  forever  with  you  ! ' 

"  A  little  quick-beating  heart  fluttered  beneath  the 
hand  with  which  I  held  her  to  me,  and  a  drooping 
head  leant  upon  my  bosom,  as  I  heard  her  say :  '  You 
would  have  me  be  your  wife,  then  ? ' 

"  '  I  desire  nothing  upon  earth  so  fondly  ! ?  I  re- 
plied. 

' '  '  I  will  tell  you,  now,  why  I  refused  your  garland, 
the  other  day/  whispered  Yelata,  after  a  short  pause. 
'  It  is  the  custom  of  our  nation,  when  two  people 
wish  to  become  man  and  wife,  for  them  to  place  a 
coronal  of  roses  on  each  other's  head ;  and,  thus 
crowned,  to  kneel  together  in  the  open  air,  uttering  a 
vow  to  the  Creator  of  the  universe,  that  they,  his 
children,  will  be  true  and  faithful  in  mutual  wedded 
love,  until  their  life's  end.  This  constitutes  the 
ceremony  of  marriage  among  us  of  the  isles  of  Om- 
brosa  ;  and  now  you  understand  why  I  would  not  let 
you  bind  my  temples  with  roses,  unless  you  knew 
they  also  bound  me  to  you  forever/ 

"  '  But,  henceforth,  my  bride  will  wear  no  other 
flower ! '  I  exclaimed,  springing  from  the  earth  with 
an  animation  long  a  stranger  to  my  frame,  and  draw- 
ing her  towards  the  spot  where  roses  clustered  in 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  329 

luxurious  profusion.  We  gathered  heaps  of  the 
blushing  blossoms  —  0,  well  called  queen  of  flowers  ! 
—  the  rich  full  bloom  of  the  damask,  the  intense  in 
ward-glowing  beauty  of  the  moss-bud,  the  lustrous 
purity  of  the  white,  all  were  mingled  in  our  chaplets. 
Symmetry  and  grace  of  form,  wealth  of  color,  and 
voluptuous  fragrance,  combined  their  perfections  in 
our  nuptial  wreaths, —  rarer  diadems,  and  conferring 
a  more  precious  dominion  of  bliss,  than  a  monarch's 
crown.  Earthly  sway,  kingly  power,  sovereign  com- 
mand,—  what  are  ye  to  wedded  confidence,  mutual 
comfort,  and  the  united  happiness  of  two  loving 
hearts  ?  Fain  would  I  have  remained  to  watch  the 
coronal  of  roses,  when  I  had  placed  it  on  the  brow 
of  my  unseen  but  well-beloved  bride, —  fain  would  I 
have  never  quitted  her  side,  or  ceased  for  an  instant 
to  guard  the  treasure  I  had  gained  by  the  fervent 
vow  which  bound  us  for  life  to  each  other  ;  but  when 
my  Eve  prepared  her  nuptial  feast,  and  bade  me  seek 
some  fruit,  to  aid  her  in  heaping  it  with  due  profu- 
sion, what  could  I  do  but  fulfil  the  first  behest  she 
had  ever  given  me  ? 

"I  took  the  basket,  therefore,  and  proceeded  to 
the  wood,  resolving  to  return  with  my  best  speed. 
I  had  collected  heaps  of  peaches,  green  and  purple 
figs  and  grapes,  bright  pomegranates,  apricots,  nec- 
tarines, bloom-covered  plums,  and  ruddy-spotted 
green-gages,  which,  together  with  their  varied  foliage, 
overhung  the  sides  of  my  basket  in  rich  exuberance, 
and  formed  a  beautiful  group,  when  I  heard  some- ' 
thing  flutter  on  a  tree  near  to  me,  and  on  looking  up 
I  saw  a  white  dove  that  had  been  struck  by  a  hawk, 


330  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

and  was  struggling1  to  free  itself  from  the  branches 
among  which  it  had  fallen  ;  —  its  victor  having  been 
probably  scared  from  its  prey  by  my  presence.  I 
hastened  to  the  wounded  bird's  assistance,  but  it 
had  just  contrived  to  fly  feebly  on  a  little  way,  when 
the  thought  struck  me  that  I  would  endeavor  to 
secure  the  poor  little  creature,  and  take  it  to  the  hut 
as  a  welcome  offering  to  Velata,  whose  tender  foster- 
ing care  would  soon  restore  the  shattered  wing. 

"Sufficient  strength  remained,  however,  to  enable 
the  bird  to  elude  my  efforts  to  catch  it  for  some 
time.  The  poor  little  fugitive  limped  a.nd  fluttered 
from  bough  to  bough,  from  bush  to  bramble,  now 
tumbling  down  upon  the  grass,  now  gaining  a  low 
twig  or  branch,  eager  to  escape,  and  ignorant  of  the 
benevolent  intentions  with  which  I  pursued  him. 
But  at  length  I  succeeded  in  securing  him  ;  and  then, 
carefully  placing  him  in  my  bosom,  I  hastily  re- 
traced my  steps  to  the  spot  where  I  had  left  the 
basket  of  fruit,  and,  seizing  it  up,  I  hurried  to  the 
hut,  vexed  at  the  time  I  had  unconsciously  suffered 
to  elapse  in  my  pursuit  of  the  wounded  dove. 

"  '  Velata !  Velata ! ;  I  cried,  as  I  approached  ; 
'  come  and  see  what  I  have  here  for  you  ! '  But  no 
voice  answered  mine,  no  light  footsteps  reached  my 
ear,  no  coronal  of  roses  came  borne  along  from  the 
entrance  of  our  cottage  home,  as  I  had  fondly  ex- 
pected, to  meet  my  eager  eyes.  I  rushed  into  the 
hut ;  but,  though  I  could  no  more  have  beheld  her 
than  I  did,  even  had  she  been  there,  yet  I  felt  an 
instant  conviction  that  no  Velata  was  near — no  loved 
being  was  present.  I  had  learned  the  instinctive  per- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  331 

ception  of  a  blind  man,  and  too  well  I  knew  that 
no  soft  breathing,  no  light  rustle,  none  of  the  subtle 
essence,  the  very  atmosphere  that  betrays  the  pres- 
ence of  the  one  beloved  object,  was  there  to  bless 
me. 

"I  believe  I  uttered  a  wild  scream  in  the  impo- 
tence of  rny  anguish  and  first  despair,  for  I  felt 
struck  to  the  earth  by  this  unexpected  blow.  I 
wrung  my  hands,  and  hot  tears  fell  from  my  eyes, 
as  I  incoherently  called  upon  her  name,  and  bade 
her  remember  that  I  could  not  seek  her,  and  that, 
unless  she  took  pity  on  my  misery,  and  returned  and 
manifested  herself  to  me,  I  must  perish  in  my  forlorn 
grief.  In  short,  I  committed  extravagances  that  I 
should  be  ashamed  to  think  upon  since,  did  I  not 
know  how  the  most  manly  natures  are  subdued  by  a 
sudden  as  well  as  severe  stroke  of  sorrow.  At  the 
same  time,  I  will  own  that  my  yielding  so  utterly  to 
my  misery  was  weak  and  wicked  ;  and  the  only  cir-. 
cumstance  I  can  reflect  upon  with  complacency  in 
that  period  of  my  unhappiness  was,  that  instead  of 
looking  upon  the  white  dove  with  resentment,  as  the 
cause  of  my  detention,  and  consequent  misfortune,  I 
cherished  it  carefully,  binding  its  wounded  wing,  and 
endeavoring  to  extract  some  comfort  from  a  deed  of 
charity  and  tenderness. 

"  After  wandering  restlessly,  blindly,  and  vainly, 
about,  everywhere  in  Velata's  wonted  haunts,  and 
taking  a  sort  of  fierce  pains  to  prove  to  myself  that 
I  had  really  and  hopelessly  lost  her,  I  sunk  at  length, 
stunned  and  exhausted,  upon  the  mossy  seat  beneath 
the  tree,  where  I  had  that  very  morning  received  the 


332         THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

assurance  that  made  me  a  happy  husband,  and  had 
opened  to  me  the  blissful  prospect  of  a  life-long 
wedded  existence.  Nature  wore  her  loveliest  aspect 
of  beauty  and  serenity  ;  the  one  star  of  evening 
shone  forth  mild  and  lustrous,  the  unclouded  heavens 
embraced  earth  with  their  azure  expanse,  and  all 
things  seemed  held  in  loving  silent  communion. 
What  a  contrast  did  this  scene,  in  its  holy  tranquil- 
lity, present  to  the  storm  of  tumultuous  emotions  that 
were  contending  within  my  own  sore  and  troubled 
heart ! 

"  Long  I  strove  for  a  more  submissive  spirit ;  fer- 
vently did  I  pray  for  calm  and  resignation,  that  I 
might  bear  my  trial  as  became  a  man,  and  the  creat- 
ure of  God's  will.  I  bent  myself  prostrate  to  his 
decree,  and  humbly  besought  his  mercy  to  the  bruised 
heart  that  laid  itself  trustfully  open  to  his  healing 
care. 

"The  radiant  Hesperus  shed  its  bland  influence 
upon  my  upturned  eyes,  and  I  felt  as  if  a  gracious 
power  had  vouchsafed  encouragement,  protection, 
and  consolation.  I  arose  meekly,  and  went  into  the 
hut  with  a  calmer  spirit,  though  without  hope  of 
rest.  But,  as  I  flung  myself  upon  rny  couch  of  skins, 
I  found  a  half-blown  rose,  that  lay  upon  the  pillow. 

"I  seized  the  precious  token  as  a  harbinger  of 
hope  and  comfort,  for  well  I  knew  whose  hand  must 
have  placed  it  there.  I  inhaled  its  delicious  perfume, 
and  steeped  my  senses  in  the  ecstasy  of  the  belief  it 
conveyed  that  I  was  remembered  and  beloved,  how- 
ever inexplicably  abandoned. 

1 '  My  rose  lay  close  to  my  heart  that  night ;  it  has 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  333 

lain  there  ever  since,  nor  will  it  ever  quit  its  place 
but  with  life,"  said  the  old  mariner,  in  a  low  voice, 
and  covering  his  eyes  for  a  moment  with  his  wrinkled 
hand.  "Its  oncef ruddy  leaves  are  now  colorless 
and  withered,  but  the  memories  that  hallow  the 
slight  fragments  will  be  ever  fresh  and  vivid,  till  the 
heart,  close  to  which  they  lie,  shall  cease  to  beat." 

After  a  short  pause,  he  resumed :  "  The  effort  I 
had  so  strenuously  made  to  endure  my  bereavement 
with  becoming  fortitude  was  much  strengthened  by 
this  circumstance,  and  I  labored  hard  to  resist  a  re- 
currence of  the  despondency  which  had  so  completely 
overwhelmed  and  unmanned  me  at  first.  I  strove 
by  physical  exertion  to  repel  the  attacks  of  mental 
suffering.  I  worked  all  day  zealously  and  inces- 
santly, and  by  manual  labor  endeavored  to  drive 
away  reflection.  I  joined  invention  and  contrivance 
to  the  mere  work  of  my  hands,  and  by  occupying  my 
thoughts  with  the  shaping  and  fashioning  of  some 
useful  article,  I  tried  to  prevent  their  being  more 
sadly  employed  in  reverting  to  my  loss. 

"  But  each  evening,  when  I  could  no  longer  see 
to  toil,  and  I  sought  rest  on  the  mossy  seat  beneath 
the  tree,  then  it  was  that  my  sense  of  loneliness 
.  pressed  most  heavily  upon  me,  and  the  remembrance 
of  my  lost  bride  stung  me  to  the  heart.  Her  mani- 
fold perfections  of  nature,  her  gentle  sweetness,  her 
endearing  qualities,  her  fostering  love,  all  passed  in 
review  before  my  mind,  and  filled  me  with  irrepress- 
ible regret  to  have  known  the  worth  of  such  a  creat- 
ure only  to  part  with  her  forever. 

"  It  was   singular  that  this   being,  whom   I  had 


334  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

never  beheld,  should  so  completely  have  won  my 
affections,  so  entirely  have  filled  my  senses  with  her 
image,  so  absorbingly  have  taken  possession  of  my 
very  soul.  But  it  seemed  as  if  1jie  strong  appeal 
which  her  invisibility  made  to  my  imaginative  nature 
rendered  her  doubly  and  trebly  dear ;  as  the  man 
who  has  lost  his  sight  frequently  possesses  his  other 
senses  in  an  unusual  degree  of  acuteness,  so  appeared 
to  be  the  concentrated  enthusiasm  of  my  love  for  the 
unseen  Velata. 

"  As  I  sat  musing  thus,  one  evening,  my  eyes  fixed 
upon  the  bright  planet,  and  my  thoughts  absorbed 
in  her  image  who  was  the  earthly  star  of  my  exist- 
ence,—  remote,  mystically  set  apart,  and  unattain- 
able,—  I  helplessly  breathed  aloud  her  name:  'My 
Velata ! ' 

"  At  that  instant  a  light,  quick  footstep  struck 
upon  my  ear,  as  it  bounded  along  the  sward ;  and 
the  next  moment  I  felt  a  womanly  form  fling  itself 
upon  my  bosom,  and  nestle  within  my  arms,  which 
closed  instinctively  around  her  in  a  transport  of 
recognition. 

"  '  Yelata  !  my  Velata  ! '  was  all  I  could  utter  for 
some  time,  in  reply  to  the  piteous  sobs,  and  mur- 
murs of  mingled  joy  and  sorrow,  which  she  continued 
to  pour  forth  upon  my  breast. 

"'Let  me  hear  that  beloved  voice  —  let  me  be 
sure  you  are  here,  my  Velata  !  Give  me  some  assur- 
ance of  your  dear  presence  besides  sobs  and  mur- 
murs ! '  I  cried. 

"  '  I  grieve  to  think  of  your  grief,  my  husband, 
who  were  left  to  deplore  my  absence,  without  know- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  335 

ing  its  cause/  said  the  melodious  tones  I  knew  so 
well.  '  But  our  misery  is  past  now,  and  I  will  give 
no  one  moment  longer  to  sorrow.  You  wish  some 
assurance  of  my  presence,  do  you ! '  continued  she, 
with  her  old  playful  gayety  ;  '  here,  what  think  you 
of  this  ? ' 

"She  pinched  my  cheek  smartly  as  she  spoke; 
then  soothingly  passing  her  soft  hand  over  it,  as  a 
child  might  do,  to  make  it  well,  she  proceeded  to 
inform  me  of  the  reason  of  her  abrupt  departure  on 
our  bridal  day. 

"'You  had  scarcely  quitted  me,  and  taken  the 
direction  of  the  wood,  to  fetch  the  fruit  for  our  nup- 
tial feast/  she  said,  '  when,  from  the  opposite  quar- 
ter, which  you  know  is  the  slope  that  leads  down  to 
the  sea-shore,  I  perceived  two  people  of  my  own 
nation  approaching  the  hut,  whom  I  immediately 
recognized  for  my  friend  Nascosta,  and  her  lover 
Bruno.  ^Nascosta  is  the  young  girl  I  mentioned  to 
you  with  whose  parents  I  lived  after  my  father's 
death,  and  who  was  one  of  my  companions  when  we 
came  to  this  island  on  the  occasion  of  the  vernal  fes- 
tival. She  was  well  acquainted  with  all  the  circum- 
stances of  the  estrangement  that  existed  between 
lay  mother  and  myself;  indeed,  it  was  owing  to  her 
and  her  parents'  conviction  of  the  injustice  with 
which  I  was  treated  by  my  own  surviving  one,  that 
led  to  their  offering  me  an  asylum  after  the  loss  of 
my  father.  But  she  told  me  that  my  mother  had 
been  seized  with  a  sudden  and  violent  illness,  which 
was  so  dangerous  in  its  nature  that  there  was  no 
likelihood  of  her  recovery.  In  the  remorse  and 


336          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

clearer-sighted  conscience  of  a  near  prospect  of 
death,  she  had  raved  incessantly  of  her  former  un- 
kindness  to  her  only  child,  and  had  vehemently  peti- 
tioned that  her  daughter  would  return  and  forgive 
her  before  she  quitted  earth  forever.  Nascosta-_ 
knowing  how  bitterly  I  had  always  deplored  the 
want  of  a  mother's  affection,  felt  that  no  time  was  to 
be  lost  in  fetching  me  to  her  side ;  and,  knowing 
where  I  was,  had  set  out  immediately  to  seek  me  in 
her  lover's  canoe.  This  now  awaited  my  instant 
return,  for  my  friend  assured  me  that  it  was  all  we 
should  be  able  to  do  to  reach  our  native  island  in 
time  to  forestall  the  fatal  hand  of  death.  A  mother's 
dying  voice  rung  suppliant  in  my  ears  ;  it  adjured 
me  to  fly  without  delay  ;  every  moment  that  elapsed 
seemed  to  sound  a  knell  to  my  hopes  of  being  able 
to  lighten  her  departing  hour  with  the  assurance  of 
rny  filial  love,  and  to  receive  her  last  —  and,  alas, 
almost  only  —  blessing  before  she  should  be  removed 
forever.  I  could  not  hesitate,  —  I  would  not  trust 
myself  to  think  of  you,  my  husband,  in  that  moment 
of  contending  duty ;  hastily  gathering  a  rose,  and 
placing  it,  as  a  token  of  ever-constant  wedded  love, 
where  I  knew  it  must  reach  your  hand,  and  (as  I 
fervently  trusted)  convey  comfort  and  assurance  to 
your  heart,  I  followed  my  friends  to  the  boat.  My 
courageous  conquest  over  myself,  in  this  sharp  strug- 
gle of  conflicting  feelings,  met  with  its  reward  in  my 
timely  arrival  at  my  mother's  feet  while  she  was  yet 
alive.  We  exchanged  consoling  assurances,  em- 
braces, and  words  of  loving  kindness,  such  as  at  one 
time  I  never  hoped  to  receive  from  my  mother ;  and 


KIT   BAM,    MARINER.  337 

I  had  the  blessed  conviction  that  my  return  had 
been  the  means  of  causing  her  to  die  happy  and  con- 
tented. But  I  had  no  sooner  received  her  last  sigh, 
than  I  flew  back  to  the  spot  wjiere  a  faithful  heart 
awaited  me,  I  feared,  in  anxiety  and  alarm  at  my 
unaccountable  absence.  In  short,  I  am  returned  — 
your  wife  is  returned —  never  more  to  part  from  her 
beloved  husband.' 

"  Her  tender  voice  ceased,  and  I  felt  her  kind  arms 
steal  round  my  neck,  while  I  encircled  her  waist  with 
mine,  and  drew  her  close  to  my  heart.  The  shades 
of  evening  had  quite  closed  in,  and  my  passionate 
yearning  to  look  upon  my  bride  was  strangely  ap- 
peased by  the  thought  that  I  was  now  no  less  happy 
than  any  other  earthly  lover,  whose  mistress  is  veiled 
from  his  sense  of  sight  by  night's  darkness,  and 
whom  he  can  behold  by  the  light  of  love  and  imagi- 
nation alone. 

"  But  I  perceive  the  darkness  is  gaining  upon  us, 
also,  my  dears/7  said  the  old  mariner  to  his  young 
friends;  so  he  bade  them  "good-nighV7  with  a 
promise  of  resuming  the  thread  of  his  yarn  next 
evening. 

22 


338          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 


CHAPTEK    XII. 

THE   NORTHERN   SEAS. THE  GIGANTIC  WANDERER.  —  THE   KRAKEN. 

THE   SEA-SERPENT. THE   ALBATROSS. THE   MERMAID. THE 

GROTTO. — THE   SUBTERRANEAN    JOURNEY. THE   NATION   OF   THE 

ANTHROPOPHAGI.  —  CONCLUSION. 

"  Now,  dear  Kit,"  said  the  young  Swallows,  on  the 
following  evening,  as  they  entered  the  old  mariner 's 
cottage,  and  took  their  usual  seats,  "  pray  tell  us 
something  more  about  the  island  of  Ombrosa,  and 
about  your  invisible  wife." 

"  Alas  !  my  dears,"  replied  their  old  friend,  "  I 
have  not  much  more  to  tell  you  of  that  yarn.  It  was 
a  happy  time  indeed,  while  it  lasted  ;  but  Heaven 
decreed  that  such  tranquil  felicity  as  I  enjoyed  in  the 
society  of  my  dear  Velata  was  not  long  to  endure  for 
such  an  inveterate  wanderer  as  myself.  But,  mean- 
while, the  days,  weeks,  and  months,  of  my  married 
life,  flew  by  in  uninterrupted  joy  and  serenity.  My 
wife,  imperceptible  though  she  might  be  to  my 
vision,  was  yet  palpably  present  in  her  goodness, 
her  gentleness,  her  affectionate  nature,  and  her  ever- 
watchful  love  for  me ;  while  my  attachment  for  her 
was  so  powerful  that,  though  I  could  not  be  said  to 
keep  her  ever  in  my  sight,  yet  I  contrived  that  we 
should  never  be  long  absent  from  each  other.  We 
wandered  over  our  beautiful  island  together ;  we 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  339 

labored  together  to  lavish  all  kinds  of  luxuries  and 
ornaments  upon  our  homestead,  the  rustic  hut ;  we 
sought  together  the  needful  provision  for  our  daily 
repasts,  which  were  plentifully  supplied  with  game 
by  means  of  Velata's  bow-and-arrows,  with  fish  by 
nets  of  my  making  and  casting,  and  with  fruit  and 
vegetables,  the  profuse  production  of  this  fertile 
island  ;  and  we  even  set  about  building  a  canoe 
together,  which  should  transport  us  to  Yelata's  na- 
tive island.  It  was  one  of  her  pleasant  anticipations 
that  we  should  proceed  thither,  in  order  that  she 
might  enjoy  the  triumph  of  presenting  the  husband 
she  loved  so  well  to  her  friends  Nascosta  and  Bruno  ; 
while  she  looked  forward  to  the  delight  of  watching 
my  perplexity  and  amusement  when  I  should  be 
among  a  nation  of  invisible  people.  She  indulged 
in  a  thousand  whimsical  fancies  about  my  expected 
wonder  to  see  numberless  offices  performed  by  unseen 
means,  as  well  as  to  hear  remarks,  conversation, 
singing,  and  talking,  all  going  on  around  me,  without 
my  being  able  to  perceive  the  persons  from  whom 
the  sounds  proceeded. 

"  But  this  airy  castle-building  of  hers  was  destined 
never  to  be  realized.  One  fatal  morning,  the  very 
day  we  had  fixed  to  set  forth  in  our  canoe,  or  rather 
raft  (for  it  resembled  the  latter  more  in  its  flat 
•  form),  Velata  complained  of  unusual  lassitude,  and 
did  not  rise  from  her  couch  as  early  as  was  her  wont. 
I  hastened  to  compose  some  cooling  draught  of  herbs 
under  her  direction,  but  her  fever  increased,  and 
before  evening  she  was  delirious.  The  whole  of  that 
miserable  night  I  listened  to  her  murmured  wander- 


340          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

ings,  and  did  my  best  to  soothe  her  disturbed  fancies, 
to  moisten  her  parched  lips,  and  to  fan  her  burning 
brow.  As  the  sun  arose,  her  words  suddenly  grew 
more  coherent,  and  I  indulged  a  hope  that  she  was 
recovering ;  but  as  I  leaned  over  her,  and  softly 
whispered  this  hope,  she  replied  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  deprive  me  of  any. 

"  She  spoke  rationally,  indeed,  and  calmly  ;  but  it 
was  with  the  calmness  of  despair  at  the  conviction 
that  she  was  about  to  quit  me  forever  on  this  earth. 
She  roused  herself,  however,  to  speak  consoling 
words  to  me,  and  bade  me  trust  that,  though  we  were 
forbidden  to  remain  longer  united  here,  yet  that  we 
should  hereafter  be  permitted  to  meet  in  eternal 
bliss,  if  we  encouraged  that  trust,  and  behaved  con- 
sonantly with  the  virtuous  fortitude  it  inspired.  In 
short,  in  her  last  moments,  as  in  all  of  those  that  had 
elapsed  during  our  intercourse,  did  this  admirable 
creature  forget  herself  to  minister  to  me  and  my 
comfort. 

"  I  controlled  the  transports  of  my  grief  as  I  best 
could,  in  order  that  I  might  spare  her  the  anguish  of 
witnessing  mine  ;  and  I  will  not  even  sadden  your 
young  hearts,  my  dears,  by  dwelling  upon  the  agony 
which  wrung  my  soul,  as  I  felt  that  beloved  hand 
grow  cold  within  my  own,  as  I  listened  to  the  last 
deep-drawn  breathings  that  fluttered  from  those  lips, 
and  as  I  counted  the  last  flickering  pulses  that 
throbbed  within  that  dear,  gentle  bosom.  Suffice  it 
that  she  died ;  suffice  it  that  I  lost  my  Velata, —  that 
I  enclosed  her  cold  remains  within  our  rustic  home, 
which  thus  formed  a  bowery  mausoleum  for  my 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  341 

bride  ;  it  had  been  the  temple  of  our  wedded  happi- 
ness, and  was  now  the  tomb  of  all  my  love  and  hope, 
from  which  I  fled,  a  distracted,  miserable  wanderer 
forevermore. 

"  That  very  day,  in  the  very  first  wildness  of  my 
sorrow,  bewildered,  and  conscious  only  of  the  deep 
sense  of  my  bereavement,  I  set  forth  upon  the  wide 
ocean,  as  if  I  could  escape  from  my  cruel  loneliness 
by  leaving  the  scenes  which  reminded  me  of  all  that 
I  had  lost.  In  vain  !  Alone  —  evermore  alone  — 
has  been  the  one  haunting  idea  that  has  unceasingly 
beset  my  existence  since  that  fatal  day.  I  have 
borne  my  part  in  the  world, —  I  have  mingled  with 
my  fellow-men, —  I  have  entered  into  their  joys  and 
sorrows  with  interest  and  zeal ;  but  my  heart  has 
ever  remained  true  to  the  image  of  my  wife,  my 
Velata,  as  if  she  were  only  the  more  deeply  im- 
pressed upon  my  soul  from  her  having  been  invisible 
to  my  eight/7 

The  old  mariner  paused ;  then  resumed :  "  Well, 
my  dears,  my  raft  bore  me  on  from  day  to  day  amid 
those  lonely  seas,  my  course  undirected,  my  progress 
unheeded,  my  "object  undecided,  so  aimless  were  my 
intentions,  so  utterly  dead  to  all  thought  or  care  for 
the  future  was  my  desolate  spirit.  I  wandered  on, 
and  on,  unchecked  by  adverse  weather,  for  the  cli- 
mate was  beautiful,  and  it  was  then  the  fine  season. 
I  never  felt  tempted  to  land,  for  no  shore  did  I  ap- 
proach for  a  long,  indefinite  period.  I  took  no  count 
of  time,  but  merely  dropped  asleep  during  some  of 
the  hours  of  darkness,  when  my  bruised  heart  sunk 
exhausted  with  watching  its  misery ;  and  I  took 


342  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

occasionally  enough  nourishment  to  keep  life  in  me, 
when  the  natural  pangs  of  hunger  and  thirst  grew 
sufficiently  importunate  to  press  upon  my  attention. 
I  should  tell  you  that  the  raft  had  been  amply 
stocked  with  provision,  in  the  prospect  of  our  in- 
tended journey,  which  I  mentioned  to  you  as  having 
been  fixed  for  the  very  day  on  which  I  left  Ombrosa  ; 
so  that,  as  it  happened,  I  was  well  supplied  in  a  par- 
ticular which  otherwise  I  should  have  certainly  failed 
in,  had  it  depended  on  my  own  subsequent  exertions. 
I  had  been  wandering  thus  some  time,  when  the  teni- 
perature  altered  considerably ;  it  became  intensely 
cold,  and  the  vast  floating  masses  of  ice  that  I  now 
occasionally  encountered  showed  that  my  frail  vessel 
had  been  wafted  towards  the  frozen  regions  of  the 
north.  Indeed,  it  was  singularly  providential  that 
I  never  came  into  collision  with  any  of  these  icebergs  ; 
for,  if  I  had,  or  my  raft  had  unhappily  got  between 
some  of  them,  I  might  have  perished  helplessly. 

"  Showers  of  sleet,  clinging  fogs,  and  frequent 
hazy  mists,  varied  by  falling  snow  and  piercing 
winds,  now  daily  beset  my  course  among  these  dreary 
seas,  and  awoke  me  to  a  sense  of  extreme  bodily 
discomfort  amid  the  oppression  of  my  internal  suf- 
fering. Yet  I  scarcely  made  an  effort  to  change  the 
direction  of  my  progress,  but  permitted  myself  to  be 
conducted  on,  and  on,  and  on,  at  the  caprice  of  the 
winds  and  waves  ;  these  still  continued  to  bear  me 
northward,  and  still  the  snows  thickened,  the  gloomy 
haze  deepened,  and  the  cold  increased  to  a  degree 
of  intense  severity.  One  day  my  little  vessel  was 
proceeding  through  a  narrow  channel  that  lay  be- 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  343 

tween  a  vast  extent  of  spacious  ice-fields  ;  I  know 
not  how  it  had  found  its  way  into  this  confined 
water-course,  but  while  I  was  noticing  that  it  had 
done  so,  and  was  gazing  over  the  dreary  plains  that 
stretched  away  on  either  side  of  me,  I  was  startled 
at  an  unexpected  vision  in  the  midst  of  this  dismal 
solitude.  I  beheld  a  sort  of  low  carriage,  fixed  on  a 
sledge,  and  drawn  by  dogs  ;  it  was  occupied  by  a 
being  bearing  the  shape  of  a  man  of  gigantic  stature, 
and  who  guided  the  dogs  at  a  furious  pace  along  the 
ice-fields.  The  rate  was  so  rapid  at  which  this 
strange  traveller  passed  me  (which  he  did  without 
seeming  to  perceive  me),  that  I  could  only  obtain  a 
very  imperfect  view  of  his  face  and  figure  ;  but  what 
I  beheld  of  them  appalled  me  so  entirely,  that  I  had 
no  thought  of  shouting  to  him,  or  of  attempting  to 
check  his  progress  in  any  way.  His  countenance 
seemed  to  be  a  frightful  mask  of  yellow  skin,  that 
scarcely  covered  the  muscles  and  arteries  beneath : 
his  hair  was  dark,  and  hung  in  long,  ragged  locks  : 
his  teeth  were  glaring,  his  eyes  watery  and  dun- 
colored,  and  his  lips  straight  and  black ;  while  his 
form,  which,  as  I  have  said,  was  of  gigantic  stature, 
was  uncouth  and  distorted  in  its  proportions ;  and 
the  one  huge  hand  that  was  next  to  me,  and  grasped 
the  reins,  was  in  color  and  apparent  texture  like  that 
of  a  mummy.  This  hideous  being  passed  like  a  ter- 
rible spectre,  and  left  me  with  the  conviction  that  I 
had  seen  the  very  creature  once  fashioned  by  the 
daring  hand  of  a  mortal,  presumptuously  ambitious 
in  its  endeavor  to  wield  a  power  reserved  alone  for 
the  Most  High.  I  remembered  how  I  had  heard 


344          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

Mary,  the  wife  of  one  of  my  early  shipmates,  Percy 
Shelton,  relate  an  affecting  story  of  the  fatal  conse- 
quences of  this  intemperate,  ill-directed  ambition  on 
the  part  of  a  young  student  in  the  University  of 
Ingolstadt  ;  and  I  could  not  but  believe  that  I  had 
just  beheld  the  work  of  Victor  Frankenstein's  hands, 
at  once  his  creature,  his  victim,  and  the  bane  of  his 
own  existence.  As  I  recalled  the  unhappy  circum- 
stances that  marked  the  career  of  these  two  beings, 
the  instruments  of  each  other's  misery,  the  mutual 
blighters  of  each  other's  hopes  and  aspirations,  I 
received  a  certain  consolation  in  the  thought  that 
remorse,  that  unappeasable,  never-dying  sting,  had 
no  share  in  the  sufferings  that  consumed  my  heart,  - 
and  I  uttered  the  first  fervent  thanksgiving  that  I 
had  been  able  to  join  with  my  prayers  since  I  had 
lost  my  Yelata. 

"  After  I  had  pursued  the  course  of  the  narrow 
channel,  which  seemed  to  me  to  be  formed  by  a  rift 
or  straight  chasm  across  a  vast  ice-field,  I  found  that 
I  emerged  into  an  open  sea,  in  which  drifted  many 
smaller  icebergs,  that  occasionally  menaced  my  raft, 
but  fortunately  never  injured  it.  Once  I  encoun- 
tered an  object  which  I  at  first  took  to  be  one  of 
these  floating  masses  ;  but,  on  a  nearer  approach,  it 
proved  to  be  a  slumbering  kraken,  which,  when  I 
came  in  contact  with  it,  suddenly  dived,  nearly  draw- 
ing my  luckless  vessel  into  the  whirlpool  which  this 
huge  monster  of  the  deep  causes  in  its  descent  amid 
the  waters.  Another  peril  I  narrowly  escaped,  too, 
was  from  the  jaws  of  the  sea-serpent,  that  I  one  day 
beheld  rearing  its  awful  crest  many  feet  above  the 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  345 

surface  of  the  waters,  and  glaring  round  as  if  in 
search  of  prey  ;  but,  to  my  great  relief,  it  bent  its 
terrible  head  again,  and  glided  away  beneath  the 
watery  abyss,  and  I  saw  it  no  more. 

"  Very  frequently  my  path  was  illumined  by  the 
grand  coruscations,  the  mysterious  varied  motions 
and  colors,  of  the  Aurora  Borealis.  'Sometimes  they 
bespread  with  rich  magnificence  the  whole  skyey 
region  ;  sometimes  they  shot  in  long  waving  bands 
of  light,  in  lofty  pyramidal  shapes,  or  undulating 
columns,  rapidly  changing  their  shape  and  color,  and 
shifting  their  position  with  wonderful  rapidity  ;  sud- 
denly they  would  capriciously  vanish,  leaving  the 
heavens  pitch  dark,  and  anon  they  would  return, 
startlingly  and  vividly  resplendent. 

"  But,  generally,  I  floated  on  amid  these  polar  sol- 
itudes, in  a  cheerless  monotony  of  dark  gray  waters, 
of  dull  green  icebergs,  of  heaped  snow  lying  in  con- 
gealed ponderous  masses,  with  naught  overhead  but 
a  sombre  sky,  obscured  by  haze,  clouds,  mist,  or  fog. 
A  dreary  silence  reigned  around,  save  when  it  was 
broken  by  the  roaring  of  the  storm-blast,  or  the  sud- 
den riving  of  some  distant  ice-rock,  which  pealed 
through  those  vast  desolate  regions  like  a  thunder- 
roll. 

"  Sometimes,  when  drifting  along  on  the  skirts  of 
some  spacious  ice-field,  I  could  perceive  a  wandering 
seal,  with  its  mute,  half-human  gentleness  of  look, 
that  seemed  to  appeal  to  my  sympathy,  and  smote 
upon  a  chord  of  tenderness  in  my  heart,  that  I  fancied 
had  been  dead  within  me  ;  at  other  times,  I  noted 
otters,  Arctic  foxes,  wolves,  and  bears,  with  now  and 


346  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

then  a  stately  reindeer,  that  would  come  and  fix  his 
mild  wandering  eyes  upon  me,  and  stand  at  gaze,  as 
my  solitary  craft  floated  unwonted  by  him. 

"  The  numerous  wild-fowl  that  abound  in  those 
regions,  with  an  occasional  hare,  supplied  me  with 
food  ;  for  in  the  raft,  when  I  quitted  Ombrosa,  were 
Velata's  bow  and  arrows,  so  that  I  was  fortunately 
enabled  to  secure  the  means  of  subsistence  ;  while 
the  small  fragments  of  fresh-water  ice  that  splintered 
from  the  cavities  of  icebergs,  and  which  I  took  care 
to  collect  as  they  floated  by  me  on  the  surface  of  the 
waters,  afforded  me  refreshing  beverage. 

11  Once,  as  I  was  preparing  to  take  aim  at  a  strange 
sea-bird  that  flew  across  an  ice-field,  close  to  which 
my  raft  was  creeping,  my  hand  was  suddenly  arrested 
by  a  sound  that  made  my  heart  stand  still.  It  seemed 
to  be  uttered  by  a  human  voice,  but  so  impressive 
were  its  tones,  so  full  of  terror  and  awe  was  its 
thrilling  note  of  warning,  that  my  bow  fell  like  lead 
at  my  feet,  my  nerveless  arms  dropped  at  my  side, 
while  my  look,  which  had  been  fixed  upon  my  in- 
tended quarry,  was  stricken  down,  and  encountered 
a  figure  that  stood  upon  the  brink  of  the  icy  plain 
before  me.  It  was  that  of  an  aged  man,  with  a  gray 
beard,  a  lank  brown  face,  a  glittering  eye,  and  a 
skinny  hand,  which  he  stretched  forth  towards  me, 
in  eager  sign  of  detention.  I  felt  as  if  held  to  the 
spot  by  both  eye  and  hand,  while  I  marked  that  round 
his  neck  was  hung  a  slain  bird,  an  albatross,  similar 
to  the  one  I  had  just  before  marked  as  my  prey  : 
but  the  raft  beneath  me  yielding  to  the  impulse  of 
the  retiring  waves,  I  was  borne  speedily  away  from 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  34Y 

a  presence  and  influence  that  made  me  shudder  with 
instinctive  dread,  notwithstanding-  the  yearning  I 
was  beginning  to  feel  for  renewed  intercourse  with 
my  human  kindred. 

"  One  day,  when  the  weather  was  unusually  clear, 
the  sky  brighter,  and  the  sun  actually  shining  upon 
the*lcebergs,  causing  them  to  look  like  huge  blocks 
of  emerald,  while  the  heaps  of  snow  sparkled  and 
dazzled  in  the  welcome  radiance,  I  beheld  an  object 
at  a  little  distance,  which,  on  my  nearer  approach, 
proved  to  be  a  young  damsel  asleep.  She  lay  in  a 
strange  position ;  her  head  resting  upon  her  folded 
arms,  as  she  leaned  against  a  low  ledge  of  rock, 
whilst  the  lower  part  of  her  person  remained  float- 
ing in  the  water.  Her  face  was  concealed  by  her 
attitude,  no  less  than  by  her  hair,  which  streamed 
luxuriantly  over  her  neck  and  shoulders,  and  only 
partially  revealed  the  pure  whiteness  of  her  skin. 

"  Whilst  I  was  gazing  in  astonishment  at  this 
beautiful  and  very  unexpected  sight,  my  attention 
was  diverted  by  hearing  a  deep  growl ;  and  presently 
I  beheld  a  large  white  bear  making  directly  towards 
the  spot  where  the  sleeping  damsel  couched.  I 
snatched  up  my  bow  and  arrows,  and,  springing  from 
my  raft  on  to  the  shelvy  rock,  I  aimed  a  shaft  right 
at  the  animal's  eye.  Fortunately  I  struck  him  pre- 
cisely where  I  intended,  and  the  beast,  uttering  a 
savage  yell,  retreated,  just  as  the  damsel  awoke. 
She  shrieked  piercingly,  when  she  discovered  the 
danger  she  had  been  in  ;  but,  instead  of  rising  from 
her  half-recumbent  position,  she  let  herself  gently 
slide  away  from  the  ledge  against  which  she  had 


348  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

been  leaning ;  and,  to  my  great  surprise,  remained 
floating  upright  in  the  water,  the  surface  of  which 
reached  her  waist.  .  She  did  not,  however,  leave  the 
shore,  but  kept  buoyantly  still,  like  a  graceful  vessel 
at  anchor  ;  while,  by  expressive  looks  and  gestures 
of  gratitude,  she  seemed  to  acknowledge  the  share  I 
had  had  in  her  preservation  from  the  bear.  I  en- 
deavored, by  signs,  to  induce  her  to  come  on  shore, 
but  she  smiled,  shook  her  head,  and  beckoned  to  me 
in  her  turn.  I  now  looked  round  for  my  raft,  as  a 
means  of  reaching  her  ;  but  what  was  my  dismay 
on  discovering  that  it  had  drifted  away,  when  I  had 
quitted  it  so  suddenly  to  prevent  the  menaced  attack 
upon  the  damsel.  She  seemed  to  divine  the  cause 
of  my  anxiety,  but  she  only  smiled  as  before,  and 
then  exchanged  her  beckoning  for  a  waving  motion 
of  the  hand,  while  she  floated  gently  by  the  edge  of 
the  shore,  pointing  to  me  to  proceed  along  it  in  the 
same  direction.  I  obeyed  her  guidance,  keeping  my 
eyes  on  my  singular  conductress,  who  maintained 
her  watery  way,  now  wafted  on  in  liquid  ease,  now 
cutting  and  dashing  through  clouds  of  spray,  which 
she  raised  in  sportive  frolic,  and  now  again  resuming 
her  more  serene  course.  Presently  a  full,  melodious 
cadence  swelled  upon  the  waters,  and  I  heard  her 
chant  the  following  verse  : 

*  Under  the  booming  wave, 

And  on  the  whirling  foam, 
We  merry  Mermaids  have 
Our  wide  and  watery  home. 
Down,  down,  down,  we  go, 
The  coral  reefs  below, 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  349 

When  storms  and  tempests  rave. 
'  But  when  the  sun  is  on  the  sea, 
And  the  wind  is  in  his  cave, 
From  our  deep-blue  beds  we  come, 
Floating  on  the  sea-green  lea. 
And  then  we  dance,  and  flaunt,  and  sing 
To  the  sea-nymphs'  gambolling. 

'  And  now,  hark,  hark  ! 

The  sea-dogs  bark, 
At  the  rouse  of  old  Triton's  horn. 
'  Hark  away  !  hark  away  ! 
The  dolphin  's  in  view, 
And  sea- tiger  too, 
And  flying-fish  all  forlorn. 
Through  foam  and  spray, 
Hark  away  !  hark  away  ! 
0  !  merry  the  life  we  Mermaids  lead 
On  the  rolling  brine, 
In  the  jolly  sunshine.' 

"  We  proceeded  thus  some  distance  together,  the 
Mermaid  floating  onwards,  sporting  and  singing,  and 
waving  to  me,  whilst  I  kept  pace  with  her  along  the 
rocky  shore  ;  until  at  length  the  ground  became 
more  broken,  the  rocks  assumed  a  more  elevated 
aspect,  and  I  found  that  we  were  approaching  a  lofty 
grotto,  or  cavern,  that  was  formed  of  irregularly- 
shaped  columns,  and  massive  crags,  with  chasms,  and 
vaulted  depths  that  looked  like  the  arched  amplitude 
of  a  cathedral.  Brilliant  spars  of  many  colors  glit- 
tered in  all  directions  ;  drooping  stalactites  and  slen- 
der icicles  hung  in  profusion  from  the  pillars,  and 
adorned  the  sides  with  rich  fretwork ;  wreaths  of 
frozen  snow  flung  their  garlands  from  point  to  point, 


350  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

and  took  a  thousand  fantastic  shapes  of  beauty  and 
grace. 

"  So  colossal  were  the  dimensions  of  this  grand 
natural  temple,  that  it  not  only  stretched  far  into  the 
ocean,  where  the  watery  plain  formed  its  translucent 
floor,  but  its  caverns  extended  for  some  distance  in- 
land, and  comprised  arcades,  recesses,  galleries,  and 
chambers  of  vast  height  and  width,  beneath  its  capa- 
cious roof.  Into  that  portion  of  the  grotto  which 
over-arched  the  sea  my  guiding  Mermaiden  took  her 
way ;  and  soon  from  amid  the  crags  and  columns  on 
every  side  there  rushed  a  troop  of  little  ones,  all 
eager  to  greet  and  welcome  their  elder  sister  —  for 
such  she  seemed  to  be.  Great  was  the  bustle,  infi- 
nite the  splashings,  quick  the  watery  dartings  and 
divings,  voluble  the  chatter,  merry  the  shoutings, 
shrill  the  questionings  and  shriekings,  that  arose 
among  the  little  people,  as  they  seemed  to  learn 
the  tale  of  their  sister's  peril  and  rescue.  Then, 
from  one  of  the  craggy  recesses  of  the  grotto,  came 
an  aged  Merman,  who  seemed  to  be  the  father  of  the 
troop  ;  and  then  the  shoutings,  the  bustlings,  and 
the  paddlings  to  and  fro,  were  renewed  with  greater 
vigor  than  ever  ;  and  then  the  tale  of  their  sister's 
adventure  was  repeated  again  and  again,  amid  a 
chorus  of  shrill  voices,  that  arose  in  clamorous 
prattling  and  giggling  shrieks  ;  and  then  the  old 
Merman  took  his  rescued  daughter  in  his  arms,  and 
she  flung  hers  round  his  neck,  and  there  was  a  gen- 
eral hubbub  of  delight  and  congratulation.  Presently 
there  seemed  to  be  a  universal  desire  to  see  and 
thank  the  deliverer  of  this  dear  member  of  their 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  351 

family;  for,  in  an  instant,  the  whole  troop  of  Mer 
folks,  from  the  old  Mer-father  down  to  the  youngest 
Mer-child,  came  dashing-,  splashing,  and  flashing 
through  the  water,  towards  the  portion  of  the  grotto 
which  canopied  the  shore  where  I  stood.  As  they 
crowded  onwards  in  hasty  confusion,  some  cleaving 
the  water  straight  before  them,  others  darting  athwart 
their  course,  some  cutting  in  with  a  whirling  motion 
that  sent  up  a  shower  of  feathery  spray,  many  rush- 
ing and  rippling  in  tumultuous  struggle,  some  diving 
with  a  quick  plash  and  a  gurgle,  several  plunging 
forward  with  a  sudden  spring,  while  all  were  shrilly 
uproarious,  they  seemed  like  a  flock  of  hungry 
water-fowl,  pressing  to  the  brink  to  be  fed.  I  could 
not  help  smiling  at  the  fancy,  and  felt  half  inclined 
to  fling  some  bread-crumbs  (if  I  had  had  any) 
amongst  the  mad-cap  crew ;  but  indeed,  situated  as 
we  were,  it  was  I  who  was  likely  to  be  indebted  to 
them  for  food  and  protection,  and  not  they  to  me. 
And  so  it  proved :  grateful  for  the  service  I  had  ren- 
dered their  beloved  sister, —  who  played  the  part  of 
a  fostering  mothe^t  to  her  widowed  father's  numerous 
offspring, —  these  kind  Mer-people  made  me  welcome 
among  them,  and  showed  me  unceasing  kindness  and 
hospitality.  They  installed  me  in  the  land  portion 
of  the  spacious  grotto,  took  pleasure  in  using  every 
effort  to  make  me  comfortable,  and  were  indefati- 
gable in  their  endeavors  to  make  me  feel  at  home. 
As  for  my  first  acquaintance,  the  damsel,  she  at  once 
appoin-ted  herself  as  the  superintendent  of  my  do- 
mestic arrangements ;  and  no  common  bar-maid, 
chamber-maid,  cook-maid,  house-maid,  stillroom- 


352          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

maid,  parlor-maid,  dairy-maid,  laundry-maid,  or  even 
maid-of-all-work,  could  equal  in  housewifely  accom- 
plishment my  Mer-maid. 

"Her  forethought,  her  order,  her  contrivance,  her 
management,  were  admirable  ;  and  her  attention  to 
my  comforts  was  as  ceaseless  as  it  was  judicious  arid 
'considerate.  At  first,  when  she  did  not  know  that  I 
might  not  object  to  them  as  troublesome,  she  would 
not  allow  her  little  brothers  and  sisters,  the  younger 
Mer-children,  to  intrude  upon  my  portion  of  the 
grotto  at  all ;  but,  at  length,  when  she  found  that 
their  infantile  gambols  and  mirth  served  to  win  me 
from  the  melancholy  that  at  first  possessed  me,  she 
permitted  them  to  be  with  me  as  much  as  we  chose. 
Pleasant,  frolicsome  little  creatures  they  were  — 
these  Mer-children  !  Gay,  sportive,  good-humored, 
and  happy,  they  soon  made  me  as  fond  of  them  as 
they  were  of  each  other  ;  and  it  was  not  long  before 
they  grew  as  familiar  and  affectionate  with  me  as  I 
was  pleased  with  my  new  companions.  Of  a  morn- 
ing, when  I  clapped  my  hands,  and  shouted,  '  Hallo, 
my  Merrimen  all ! '  they  would  co*me  flocking  in  a 
shoal  to  my  cave,  and  wait  there  at  the.  brink  of  the 
entrance,  bobbing  and  floating,  and  paddling  and  pop- 
ping up  and  down,  like  so  many  corks  ;  waiting  until 
I  should  lift  them  out  of  the  water  one  by  one,  and 
bring  them  over  to  my  breakfas't-table.  There  was 
much  flapping  of  their  scaly  tails,  and  a  great  deal 
of  merry  laughter  at  the  awkward  way  in  which  they 
were  obliged  to  shuffle  along  on  the  dry  land  —  the 
floor  of  my  portion  of  the  grotto  ;  and  infinite  were 
the  scramblings,  and  pushings,  and  slidings,  and 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  353 

bustlings,  that  took  place  before  it  could  be  decided 
which  of  the  troop  was  to  be  the  fortunate  occupier 
of  my  lap, —  the  scuffle  most  frequently  ending  in  my 
eating  my  meal  with  one  on  each  knee,  a  third  cling- 
ing to  my  arm,  with  two  others  of  the  slippery  rogues 
holding  on  as  well  as  they  could,  and  peeping  over 
my  shoulders.  While  the  smaller  fry  were  thus  en- 
gaged, the  elder  ones  would  be  occupied  with  their 
sister  in  setting  forth  my  breakfast  table,  which  was 
generally  supplied  with  a  variety  of  delicacies,  pro- 
vided by  their  hospitable  exertions.  Bear-hams, 
steaks  from  the  sea-cow,  reindeer  cutlets,  tern  eggs, 
rolls  made  of  a  kind  of  moss  or  lichen,  with  heaps  of 
a  luscious  red  berry,  something  like  our  raspberry, 
covered  the  board  in  tempting  profusion  ;  and  in  the 
centre  there  was  always  hot  water  in  a  large  conch- 
shell,  which,  with  its  graceful  shape  and  contents, 
might  have  passed  for  a  steaming  tea-urn,  had  I  not 
been  unprovided  with  tea  or  sugar  to  make  it  avail- 
able for  that  purpose.  This  water,  however, —  which 
was  obtained  from' a  neighboring  hot-spring, —  was  a 
great  luxury  to  me,  and  inspired,  at  first,  thoughts 
of  shaving,  that  I  might  get  rid  of  some  of  the  huge 
growth  of  beard  that  had  accumulated  upon  my  chin 
during  my  wanderings  ;  but  I  soon  recollected  that  I 
had  no  razor  or  soap,  and  that  I  must  content  myself 
with  the  comfort  it  afforded  of  warm  ablution,  as 
.veil  as  the  convenience  of  boiling  my  eggs  at  break- 
fast. 

"  I  thus  spent  some  time  in   a  very  jolly  manner, 
with  my  little  Herri  men,  and  their  sister  Merry,  as  1 
called  them  ;   until,  one  day.  when  1  was  exploring 
23 


354  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF 

the  depths  of  the  grotto,  and  seeking  to  become 
acquainted  with  every  nook  and  recess  of  its  vast 
extent,  I  became  entangled  in  the  labyrinth  of  cav- 
erns, and  found  that  I  could  by  no  means  find  my 
way  back  to  that  portion  inhabited  by  the  Mermaid 
and  her  family.  Deeper  and  deeper  did  I  plunge  m 
the  inextricable  maze  of  subterranean  passages  that 
branched  away  in  endless  succession  ;  further  and 
further  did  I  involve  myself  in  their  intricate  wind- 
ings, their  perplexing  continuance ;  and  fainter  and 
fainter  became  my  hope  of  return.  I  should  tell  you 
that  I  fortunately  had  with  me  a  lamp,  which  I  had 
constructed  from  a  shell,  and  filled  with  whale-oil, 
that  I  might  be  provided  with  light  during  my  pro- 
posed investigation  of  the  grotto's  extent.  I  had 
imagined  that  my  project  would  occupy  me  some 
time,  so  that  I  had  taken  care  to  let  my  supply  of 
oil  be  ample  ;  but  I  now  began  to  be  seriously  uneasy 
when  I  found  how  far  I  was  exceeding  the  length  of 
time  I  had  calculated  upon  for  my  absence.  Many 
hours  elapsed,  and  I  instinctively  felt  that  I  was  still 
rambling  away  from  the  point  I  wished  to  gain,  in- 
stead of  recovering  its  right  direction.  My  anxiety 
interfered  to  prevent  my  enjoying,  as  I  should  other- 
wise have  done,  the  beauty  and  magnificence  of  the 
p;ith  I  was  traversing,  but  I  could  not  be  wholly 
insensible  to  its  grandeur.  The  lamp  I  held  in  my 
hand  shed  its  rays  upon  the  sides  of  the  caverns 
through  which  I  passed,  and  showed  me  that  they 
were  not  less  varied  in  their  color  and  structure 
than  they  were  fantastic  and  imposing  in  their  form. 
"  Now  the  lamp-light  would  be  reflected  from  huge 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  355 

masses  of  rock  that  blazed  and  sparkled  with  a  thou- 
sand diamond  points  ;  anon  it  would  be  tinted  with 
a  pervading  glow  of  red,  as  I  entered  a  space  that 
looked  like  a  vault  formed  of  an  entire  carbuncle ; 
this  would  change  to  a  brilliant  green  as  I  wandered 
through  an  arcade  of  emerald  pillars  ;  then  flashes  of 
golden  light  would  burst  upon  my  view,  as  I  found 
myself  in  a  stately  hall  of  topaz ;  and  next  would 
appear  a  roof  studded  with  sapphires,.amethysts,  and 
rubies.  Still,  as  I  went  on,  I  encountered  lofty  gal- 
leries, with  polished  marble  walls, —  now  of  purest 
white,  anon  streaked  and  mottled,  then  of  all  the 
varied  hues  of  green,  yellow,  and  red  ;  —  then  came 
a  narrower  passage,  fretted  and  bossed  with  silver; 
which  widened  and  towered  into  a  spacious  granite 
chamber,  smooth  and  unornate  as  a  Druidical  monu- 
ment, piled  together  in  primitive  simplicity  ;  and  this 
was  succeeded  by  groups  of  columns,  surmounted  by 
graceful  arches,  that  sprang  airily  and  symmetrically 
upwards,  as  if  devised  by  architectural  taste,  while 
they  supported  a  roof  that  dropped  at  intervals  in 
pendent  fretwork,  looking  as  if  sustained  by  the 
magic  of  skill  alone.  From  this  florid  beauty,  and 
regularity  of  conformation,  I  emerged  upon  rude 
heaps  of  primeval  rock,  that  led  in  shapeless,  uninter- 
esting monotony  for  some  distance  ;  and  then  my 
lamp  suddenty  reflected  a  lurid  dun-red  glare,  and  I 
felt  as  if  I  were  entering  a  furnace,  while  the  glowing 
copper-colored  hue  struck  upon  my  eyes  with  almost 
the  effect  of  heat ;  this  was  succeeded  by  a  cavern, 
gloomy,  dull,  and  leaden  in  its  aspect ;  then  another, 
heavily  and  richly  encrusted  with  gold  ;  the  next 


356          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

shone  bright  and  dazzling  with  polished  brass  :  the 
next  and  the  next  frowned  murkily  in  alternate 
blocks  of  sullen  copper  and  wan  lead  :  and  these 
opened  upon  a  space  resplendent  with  the  vivid  blue 
of  the  lapis  lazuli. 

"I  stopped  for  a  moment  to  admire  the  brilliant 
effect  of  this  superb  azure  apartment ;  and  also  to 
relieve  in  a  measure  the  sense  of  weariness  and  ex- 
haustion that  had  for  some  time  been  gaining  upon 
me,  and  marking  significantly  the  length  of  my  wan- 
derings. As  I  paused  and  held  the  lamp  above  my 
head,  the  better  to  examine  the  beauty  of  the  place, 
there  was  a  flash, —  a  feeble  leap  up  of  the  flame, 
which  caused  the  rich  blue  of  the  ponderous  walls 
apparently  to  vibrate  arid  tremble  for  an  instant, — 
then  a  slight  drop,  and  waning  of  the  light,  which 
seemed  to  steady  them  in  momentary  shadow  — 
another  reviving  flicker, —  and  then  the  flame  seemed 
to  detach  itself,  and  flit  hovering  just  above  the  wick 
of  my  lamp  ;  whilst  I  watched  it  with  a  thrill  of  hor- 
ror, at  the  thought  that  in  a  few  seconds  I  should  be 
left  in  darkness,  amidst  this  subterranean  labyrinth. 
1  cast  my  eyes  around  me  once  more,  with  a  last 
hope  that  I  might  discover  some  means  of  egress  ; 
and  I  beheld  at  a  few  paces  from  me  a  kind  of  rude 
portal,  towards  which  I  softly  crept,  involuntarily 
careful  lest  the  slightest  motion  should  shorten  the 
existence  of  iny  expiring  light.  I  had  but  just  time 
to  ascertain  that  the  spot  I  approached  led  to  a 
rough,  rocky  passage,  when  the  lamp  went  quite  out. 
But  the  agony  with  which  I  saAv  this  was  quickly 
succeeded  by  an  emotion  of  pleasure,  as  I  fancied  I 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  357 

perceived  that  it  had  been  extinguished  by  a  puff  of 
air  !  Yes,  I  could,  the  next  moment,  plainly  distin- 
guish the  exquisite  sensation  of  air,  pure,  fresh,  open 
air,  actually  playing  upon  my  cheek.  I  rapturously 
welcomed  it.  If  to  the  invalid  long  confined  to  his 
si<^Jv  room,  to  the  -prisoner  immured  in  a  dungeon, 
the  return  of  fresh  air  be  dear,  how  ineffably  pre- 
cious must  the  sense  of  its  presence  have  been  at 
that  instant  to  me  !  —  I,  who,  immediately  previous, 
had  been  plunged  in  the  despairing  belief  that  I  was 
doomed  to  be  buried  alive  in  these  subterranean  cav- 
erns I 

"  I  staggered  in  the  direction  of  the  welcome  cur- 
rent, and  as  I-  gazed  through  the  surrounding  obscur- 
ity I  became  aware  of  a  small  point  of  light  that 
seemed  to  be  at  a  great  distance.  I  kept  this  in  view, 
as  my  guiding  star,  and  at  length  beheld  it  widen 
and  widen,  and  brighten  and  brighten,  until  at  length 
I  found  it  proceed  from  an  opening  in  the  rock,  which 
led  me  out  upon  a  broad  level  country.  I  had  not 
quite  emerged  from  the  shelter  of  the  rocky  entrance, 
when  I  paused  to  reconnoitre  the  scene  in  which  I 
found  myself. 

"I  discovered  that  I  was  on  the  verge  of  a  desert 
plain,  that  looked  utterly  desolate,  wild,  and  sterile. 
Not  very  far  from  the  rocks  beneath  which  I  stood, 
there  was  a  rude  fire  of  sticks  and  logs,  with  a  still 
ruder  attempt  at  a  spit,  upon  which  seemed  to  be 
roasting  some  kind  of  joint.  On  the  ground  near 
there  crouched  a  heap  of  garments,  as  if  some  human 
being  sat  huddled  beneath,  engaged  in  watching  the 
roast;  while  at  a  little  distance  lay  strewed  frag 


358          THE  STRANGE  ADVENTURES  OF 

ments  of  flesh  and  bones,  that  I  could  not  help,  with 
a  shudder,  believing  to  be  those  of  a  human  being 
also. 

"  I  fancy  I  made  some  half-articulate  exclamation 
of  horror,  as  this  belief  crossed  my  mind  ;  'for  the 
heap  of  garments  stirred,  rose  up,  and  came  tow^ds 
me.  This  strange  figure  bore  the  appearance  of  a 
large  cloak  hung  upon  a  prop,  and  moving  of  its  own 
accord  ;  but  I  could  see  legs  beneath  the  drapery, 
and  presently  an  arm  protruded  itself.  Then  the 
hand  belonging  to  the  arm  dived  again  for  an  instant 
beneath  the  clothes,  and  reappeared,  bearing  a  hat, 
which  it  waved  courteously,  while  the  figure  stooped, 
and  bent  towards  me,  as  if  bowing.  But  when  the 
hand  prepared  to  replace  the  hat,  the  cloak  was  some- 
what thrown  back,  and  I  could  perceive  a  grinning  • 
face  and  head  beneath  the  left  shoulder  of  the  figure  ; 
who,  by  his  gestures,  now  plainly  proposed  that  I 
should  approach  and  partake  of  his  inhuman  human 
feast.  I  was  considering  how  I  might  best  decline 
this  polite  but  sickening  invitation,  when  I  per- 
ceived — 

11  But  I  declare,"  said  Kit,  interrupting  himself, 
"there  are  your  father  and  mother  coming  through 
the  garden-gate,  yonder  !  " 

"We  are  sorry  to  cut  the  thread  of  your  yarns, 
my  dear  fellow,"  said  Captain  Swallow,  as  he  and 
his  wife  entered  the  old  mariner's  cottage,  "but  we 
have  just  received  a  letter  from  London,  bidding  us  • 
hasten  up  to  town  to-morrow.  Their  grandmamma 
is  anxious  to  see  Fanny  and  Dick  before  he  goes  back 
to  school,  and  as  my  mother  is  going  to  the  sea-side 


KIT    BAM,    MARINER.  359 

in  a  few  days,  we  shall  be  able  to  have  but  a  short 
visit,  even  if  we  set  off  immediately." 

This  visit  to  their  grandmamma  had  been  a  long- 
promised  treat  to  the  }7oung  Swallows,  arid  one  that 
had  been  looked  forward  to  by  them  with  eager 
pleasure  ;  for  she  was  a  delightful  old  lady,  fond  of 
young  people,  ever  ready  to  sympathize  with  their 
feelings  and  tastes,  and  anxious  to  promote  their 
enjoyment. 

Nevertheless,  now  that  the  gratification  was  thus 
abruptly  announced,  Dick  and  Fanny  felt  that  they 
should  have  to  relinquish  another  for  it ;  for,  though 
they  were  as  anxious  as  ever  to  go  and  see  their 
grandmamma,  they  did  riot  like  the  thought  of  leav- 
ing their  old  friend  Kit,  who  had  endeared  himself 
greatly  to  them,  by  the  way  in  which  he  had,  evening 
after  evening,  indulged  their  favorite  inclination  for 
"  a  long  story/' 

"Besides,  you  know.  Kit,"  said  Dick, —  after  he 
and  his  sister  had  endeavored  to  express  some  of 
these  feelings  of  mingled  gratitude  and  disappoint- 
ment,—  "besides,  you  have  never  told  us  a  word 
about  how  you  first  met  with  my  father.  Fanny  and  I 
want  particularly  to  hear  all  about  the  time  when  you 
and  he  were  shipmates  together,  and  of  the  voyages 
you  made  and  the  adventures  you  met  with  in  his 
company." 

"  They  must  be  for  some  other  time,  my  dear  lad," 
said  Kit ;  "  meanwhile,  I  can  only  trust  that  the  old 
mariner7 s  adventures  may  have  imparted  to  your 
sister  and  yourself,  in  their  relation,  some  of  the 
happiness  which,  in  their  occurrence,  they  aflbrded 


360  THE    STRANGE    ADVENTURES    OF    KIT    BAM. 

to  himself;  I  shall  be  pleased  to  think  that  his  yarns 
excited  your  imagination,  while  they  stimulated  your 
faith  in  the  duties  of  patience,  courage,  endurance, 
and  persevering  hope  ;  that  while  they  amused  your 
fancy,  they  encouraged  you  to  depend  upon  your 
good  sense,  and  your  energies,  both  intellectual  and 
physical,  in  perilous  emergency  ;  and  that  while  you 
were  beguiling  the  twilight  hours  with  a  romantic 
tale,  you  were  at  the  same  time  learning  to  fortify 
your  heart  and.  mind  with  the  gentle  wisdom  of  sell- 
knowledge,  and  a  firm  reliance  on  the  unfailing  good* 
ness  of  God." 


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